“Life Is Not A Race—So Why Am I Running?”

“Suddenly, life turned into a race I never wanted to be a part of. I never agreed to run in this one, but somehow, I was pushed into it.”

As I grew up, I realized my life was no longer just mine. It became about those around me—the fear of not being better than them, of not being enough. But is that really what defines our worth? Have we reached a point where we do nothing but compare ourselves to others?

Of course not. We have so much more to do, so much more to become. But expectations have risen so high that we are constantly forced to compete. It starts small—a friend scoring more on a test. Then it spreads—to social media, to looks, to success, to status. We no longer live for our happiness; we live to meet others’ expectations.

We seek validation for everything we do. But isn’t that dangerous for our mental health? What if we don’t get the response we expect? What if people don’t agree with us?

It’s easy to say, “Who cares about their opinions?” But ask yourself—how often have you done something purely for your own happiness? Isn’t it always tied to someone else?

It’s time to stop being a people pleaser. To stop running a race we never signed up for. To stop seeking approval from the world and finally start living for ourselves. “Life was never meant to be a competition, yet we let the world turn it into one. It’s time to step out of the race, stop chasing approval, and start living on our own terms. Because at the end of the day, the only person we truly need to impress is ourselves.

– Sanskriti Acharya