COMMON EXPERIENCES TO NOT BEAT YOURSELF UP ABOUT

We all have unique experiences that define our life. There are some experiences you'll be glad to discover are entirely universal. Burnout, worry over aging, career lows, navigating human relationships - here are some things that more people than you realize deal with:

1 Feeling too old to start something new:

Ageism puts value on youth. This results in always feeling like you have an expiration date. Whether it's about looking and feeling your best, or trying to achieve a goal, it is important to accept that you don't have a barcode. You haven't aged out of reaching your goals and as long as you are alive you can evolve as many times as you need to. It is better to start late than never start at all.

2 Feeling self-conscious about your body:

It happens to the best of us. We are visual creatures, so it only makes sense that we focus on appearance. However, feeling good is better than looking good. If you focus on improving your health, improving your appearance will follow. Focus less on being critical about how you look and more on developing little habits that you can remain consistent about like not snacking late at night or getting your daily intake of food rich in collagen.

3 Rethinking or obsessing over embarrassing moments that happened years ago:

This may sound like something specific to you but good news - it's not as unique as you think it is. Your brain is wired to store events like that more deeply than your other memories. The amygdala treats an embarrassing moment like a threat making sure your body remembers this moment in order to prevent a similar situation from happening in the future. Happy memories do not tend to linger around in your psyche with the same kind of urgency. Next time, you feel a negative memory creep up - remember that while it may hang around in your brain, it is not as significant in somebody else's.

4 Struggling with balancing many things at once:

Twenty-four hours doesn't seem like enough time to do all the things you need to do, let alone want to do. Even with a schedule, things get hectic and you may feel so overwhelmed, things just slip your mind. You are not the only person carrying a heavy load. Even if it feels like others have a stronger capacity to carry everything at once, it is only on the surface. 

5 That awkwardness when meeting new people:

How many good ice breakers are there, really? And even if you remember them, how useful can they be? Meeting new people can be a wonderful experience when you find that stride, but it may take a while to get there. You may never even get there at all, but that's what second impressions are for! 

6 Questioning your skills and being unsatisfied with where you are:

When we feel shortcomings, we feel internal blame. There could be a million external reasons why something isn't clicking in place for you, but you may feel that your talent or skills have something to do with it. This is a reality a lot of people live with. Even when you feel like you are capable, you may feel stuck and like you cannot get to a different place. These feelings come and go, and you can always level up.

7 Making a mistake and thinking others will be as harsh:

Are you your own worst critic? Lots of people are too. Even if you punish yourself harshly for your mistake, others might not be so harsh. We all make mistakes, and not every slip up requires swift and severe judgement. Owning mistakes and learning from them is all one can do.

The human experience is a vast spectrum. Your life is made up of a million little moments both unique and universal. Humanity has existed so long, it is only natural that we share common experiences. The next time you feel like beating yourself up over something - relax. You aren't the only person whose gone through something like that.

Sources:

Bvtack, "The Most Embarrassing Moments to Happen in Life " via Chase Winterboer

LifeHacker, "10 Awkward Situations Everyone Has (and How to Deal With Them)" via Melanie Pinola