How to Stop Feeling Behind in Life

How to Stop Feeling Behind in Life (And Start Trusting Your Own Timeline)

Moving to Australia at 28 Felt Like Starting Over at 18

When I moved to Australia at 28, I thought I was chasing freedom, adventure, and a fresh start. And in many ways, I was.

But what I didn’t expect was how much it would feel like I was starting life all over again—almost like being 18 again, but with the added pressure of knowing that most people my age were already “settled.”

Back in Europe, my friends were buying houses, getting married, and building stable careers. Meanwhile, I was figuring out how to buy a car in a new country, looking for a flat to rent without any rental history, searching for work, making new friends from scratch, and even learning where to go for simple things like doctor’s appointments or groceries. Everything—right down to event invitations and how people socialised—felt unfamiliar.

And I won’t lie… it hit me hard. That creeping feeling of falling behind.

I caught myself thinking: What am I even doing? Shouldn’t I already have all of this figured out?

But here’s what I learned—starting over doesn’t mean you’re behind. It means you’re brave enough to choose a path that aligns with you, even when it looks different from others.

If you’ve ever felt like life is moving faster for everyone else, here’s how to shift your mindset and start trusting your unique path.

1. “Falling Behind” Is Just a Story Society Told You

The idea of being “on track” is a social construct. Who decided that success means owning a house by 30? That your career should be set in stone by 25?

Moving to Australia showed me how much cultural expectations shape this pressure. Here, people often buy houses and settle down way earlier than in Europe. And I felt that contrast deeply. But the truth is, every country, every culture, and every generation has a different definition of what’s “normal.”

💡 Try this: Ask yourself—Who set the timeline I’m measuring myself against? Do I even want the things I feel “behind” on?

2. Zoom Out: You’re Not Behind, You’re Taking a Different Route

At first, starting over made me feel like I had lost time. But looking back, I realise I wasn’t falling behind—I was building a life that actually aligned with me.

It’s easy to focus on what we don’t have yet, but when we zoom out, we see that life isn’t a straight race—it’s a journey with different seasons.

💡 Try this: Imagine yourself at 80 years old looking back. Would you rather say, “I played it safe and followed a timeline that wasn’t mine” or “I took the time to create a life that actually felt right for me?”

3. Comparison Will Steal Your Joy Every Time

One of the hardest parts about moving countries was watching my peers “move forward” while I felt like I was standing still.

But here’s the thing: we only see other people’s highlight reels. The friends buying houses? They might be feeling stuck in their careers. The ones getting married? They might feel pressured by family. Everyone is dealing with something—even if their life looks perfect from the outside.

💡 Try this: Next time you catch yourself comparing, remind yourself: “Their journey is not mine. My timeline is unfolding exactly as it should.”

4. Focus on What Feels Right for You (Not What Looks Good on Paper)

Instead of worrying about where you should be, shift your focus to what excites you right now.

For me, moving countries meant giving up the security of a predictable path. But it also meant gaining the freedom to explore (freedom: one of my biggest core values and so often not heard in the life I was living in Austria!), to grow, to redefine what success looks like on my own terms.

💡 Try this: Ask yourself, What’s one step I can take today that excites me, even if it doesn’t fit the traditional “timeline” of success?

Moving to Australia at 28 felt like pressing reset on my life—but that doesn’t mean I was behind. It meant I was choosing to live fully, explore deeply, and trust that my path was unfolding exactly as it needed to.

And if you’re feeling behind, I want you to know this: You are not late. You are not off track. You are exactly where you need to be.

✨ Have you ever felt like you were falling behind? Let’s talk about it in the comments—I’d love to hear your story!