Tracing the past and the future

It's a strange feeling when you bump into your old friend and realize that she has changed her hair, changed her boyfriend, had a big jump along the career path and even re-located to somewhere far from where you live. Then I'm thinking - why do I stick with the same hairstyle, the same apartment and the same job. What's going on? Am I lagging behind or do I refuse to move forward? Life is so unpredictable. While some of my friends quit their jobs and devote their social life to families, others just focus on career and aim at moving up the career ladder. I probably lie in the middle, seeking stability for having time to enjoy quality of life, pursue personal development and give back to society. It is unavoidable for us to compare ourselves with people around us. According to the social psychology theories, people always see themselves "better than a average person". That may give us a motivation to work hard and stay competitive. While I tried to stop to compare with people whom I know for ages, the social network just gives me constant updates on what my acquaintance or ex-colleagues are doing. I can now see why people have become more stressful these days.

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