To be feeling incredibly inadequate?

[Teaandcakeat8]

AIBU to have reached the age of 26 and feel totally depressed and inadequate?

This year has been full of big changes for me; finishing a dull relationship and then meeting someone else and it not working out; buying my first house; getting a new job in the city I want to live in and now I am in the process of letting my house and moving there.

However;

• I'm single and everyone around me seems to be settling down and having babies; I am now contemplating moving to a new city where I know two or three people
• My job is reasonably well paid and is a really good opportunity for me to learn/develop and grow, but I am by no means a millionaire
• I was very shy in my late teens and feel like I missed out on cementing friendships at that stage of my life. I have good friends now but not a solid ‘group’ like lots of girls have.

I keep looking back on my past, wishing I’d done things differently and comparing myself to other people my age.

The guy that I just broke up with had a ridiculously busy social life, a very well paid job and was very well travelled and I feel like this has opened my eyes to a whole different world that I’m not a part of.

This weekend most of my friends are busy and I am spending most of it alone and I feel like a total failure; everyone else lives seem exciting and fun whereas tomorrow I am probably going to go running in the morning then do work for the rest of the day!

Is this a normal feeling for the mid-twenties or something that I potentially need to seek help for?

Thank you for all the replies so far.

I'm pretty driven and habitually write down what I want to achieve and how I'm going to get there but I guess there is always someone better and I seem to fixate on them and compare!

Currently I'm waiting for my house to be let and then move, so there doesn't seem much point in making new relationships in the city I currently live in. That's the main reason it didn't work out with the guy I was dating recently so finding someone new to date seems counterproductive.

Notyoda, I'm currently training for a marathon next year so my plan is to join lots of running groups when I have moved to expand my social circle!

My family are also not very supportive and routinely make me feel inadequate. Eg, 'well x earns more', 'your brothers are all out this weekend', 'why on earth did you finish things with [new guy], he had this and this'.

I do think some of my thinking stems from them.

Just to reiterate what others have said. You're 26, have a good job, your own home. You're ambitious and driven.

You're storming ahead!

Take heart. Carry on as you are. It will all fall into place.

You're doing really well Tea. I wish I'd been that dorted at 26!

sorted, even. I don't have a cold.

Don't worry, I think it's really common to feel like this in your mid twenties. When I was your age I went travelling alone for 3 months when I was inbetween jobs and it was great.
Sounds like you're doing really well, just don't realise it. It's always easier to find fault with our lives than remember the positives!

Gleam

I was reading your post thinking you have a fab life. Successful, own your own home, financially independent, free to go what you want when you want.

Don't look at others & think their life is perfect because someone is looking at yours wishing they had it so good. You have so much time to settle & have babies. Have fun, join groups, take classes & get some interests & you'll fill your time.