12 signs your life is actually going better than you think

We’ve all felt like we were stuck in a rut at least once in our lives.

You go on social media or catch up with old friends and see that other people your age are achieving life milestones, leading luxurious lives, and overall just looking like they’ve got so much going for them.

And then you look at your own life and realize that you’ve yet to do any of these.

One thing you should remember, though, is that other people rarely ever show the struggles or difficulties in their lives.

For all you know, they’re looking at your life and getting green with envy. Because when you consider some of these signs, you might realize that your own circumstances are on the up and up.

1. Your Definition of “Broke” Has Changed

This was personally my own sign that made me realize I was moving up in life.

As a fresh graduate, I was living paycheck to paycheck and usually had less than ten bucks to my name by the time my next pay came in.

Five years later, it dawned on me just how far I’ve come when I realized my definition of broke is having several thousand dollars in my bank account but little to no savings from my last paycheck.

You might not be living the lap of luxury just yet, but you might realize you’re doing so much better than you were before.

You aren’t painstakingly counting the days until your next paycheck because you know how to better budget your income and lifestyle.

2. You’re Not Afraid to Establish Boundaries

In the past, you might have had a record of people-pleasing.

You constantly try to make people like you at your own expense.

Today, you recognize that you can’t get everyone to like you – and you’re totally fine with that.

You refuse to adjust your boundaries to make others happy, and you’re not afraid of cutting off relationships and people who make you uncomfortable.

This is a good sign that your life is going better than you think. It’s your way of saying that you’re comfortable with your life.

Some people may be sorely missed (or not), but you’re comfortable with the idea of a life without them.

3. You Know What You Don’t Want

Experience is a powerful teacher.

Early in life, you focus more on the things you want. But as you go further in life and experience new things, you now have a more balanced perspective of what it is you do want and don’t want.

And you put just as much emphasis on both because achieving these are what you know makes your life happy.

For example: years ago, I was in my first relationship and focused solely on the type of person I wanted to be with — funny, outgoing, and communicative.

But it didn’t work out because they had plenty of qualities I didn’t like, and vice versa.

Nearly a year later, I understood the importance of knowing what I want and don’t want in a partner and found someone I clicked with so well.

4. You Aren’t a Trend Follower

Trends come and go, but you’re secure in your personality, style, or overall character you don’t have to jump on every bandwagon to fit in.

You’re evolving at your own pace, and you don’t need social media, tabloids, or celebrity influencers telling you what’s in and what’s not.

Sure, some of these trends match your tastes and you can try them out.

But at the end of the day, you aren’t defined by trends and stay true to yourself.

Who you are now is way better than any other person you can try to be when you go with the crowd.

5. You Explore Interests Beyond Home and Work

Life is more than just work, coming home to do chores, going to bed, and then repeating the cycle all over again.

You’re surviving, but you’re not living.

That might have been the case when you were trying to get on your feet, but you might notice that you now set time for the things you love.

Whether that’s focusing on relationships outside of your work, pursuing a hobby, learning a new skill unrelated to your job, or taking time to explore new things, you’re getting ahead in life by thriving.

6. You Survived Rejection or Humiliation

We can all remember a time when we thought something – either a difficult project in school, getting an earful from your boss, or breaking up with your partner – would mean the end of our world because you had no idea how you’d live after it.

Well, newsflash: you survived.

And that troublesome point of your life didn’t end you, but it made you stronger.

You might have come out of that situation hurting, but you’ve gained a lesson that you can take with you moving forward.

7. You’re Surrounded By Few Choice Friends

Over time, many of us start to realize that not everyone we know whom we’ve shared a positive experience with is a friend.

And once we realize this, we start to value the quality of friends we keep rather than the quantity we’ve had surrounding us.

As someone who’s on their way up towards better things, you don’t mind having one or two friends that stuck with you.

You value their presence in your life just as much as they value yours.

And, even with fewer people around you, you don’t feel as lonely as you once did surround by others.

8. Your Bad Memories Feel Like Dull Aches

Healing isn’t a linear process; and sometimes, you might find that you’re never truly healed.

However, you know you’ve moved on in life and are growing as a person when those memories that used to cause physical pain now just feel like a sad, dull ache at the back of your head.

When I think about this, it helps me realize how far I’ve come from problems that seemed so big in the past.

Years ago, I made one mistake after another to the point that I felt like everyone hated me.

Today, while I still think I wasn’t a hundred percent liked, I no longer feel the guilt or shame of an issue that doesn’t affect me anymore.

9. You Pick Your Battles

You don’t need to win every argument or beat anyone who tries to outshine you.

You know that you only have 24 hours in a day, and you aren’t going to waste your time and energy on the more trivial battles.

You know the difference between a petty argument you can walk away from or concede, from the true battles which are your hill to die on.

People who are doing well in life do this because they make the conscious decision not to be stressed by the little things.

This allows them to move on to experiences that make them happy, rather than wallowing in anger.

10. You Know When to Ask Questions

You aren’t insecure about what you don’t know, so you don’t hesitate to ask others for help.

You have a comfortable level of self-awareness and understand that you don’t know everything.

This makes you more open to growth and knowing that you need others in your life to help you go further.

In your mind, there’s no such thing as a stupid question.

You’re simply learning from others and using that to help you understand.

There’s nothing to be ashamed of when you ask questions, and you find that it’s more efficient to ask questions now than to walk in blindly and waste time and effort trying to appear like you know what you’re doing.

11. You Aren’t Obsessed with Material Possessions

You’ve come to realize that happiness from material possessions are short-term or inconsequential. There are more important things in your life – relationships, your health, peace of mind, and more.

This doesn’t necessarily mean you’re choosing to live like a hermit in a cave.

Rather, you don’t feel the need to buy the latest products to prove your self-worth.

You aren’t the type to associate your friends’ perception of you with the price tag of gifts they give.

And you don’t go out of your way into debt to live a certain lifestyle that’s out of your budget.

12. You Take Care of Your Health

Your body’s physical and mental health is priceless.

You know that your health is what keeps you going, so you make it a priority to keep it on track.

Caring about your health means setting boundaries with the other parts of your life so that you always have the means to care for your health and well-being.

For instance, you no longer find it inspiring or rewarding to sacrifice your health over your career.

You don’t feel pressured to partake in activities that can affect your long-term health.

You want to live for as long as possible in your best condition, which is a sign that you have something to look forward to.