Anyone else struggle with comparison..?
Hi working moms. I’ve noticed I’m really starting to struggle with comparison and envy in this new stage of life - how all are you dealing with this?
I’m 8 months pp and feel like I’m getting a bit bitter about my current situation. My husband and I are home owners in the midwest with an 1800 square foot house (no basement/minimal attic space) and a 2.6% interest rate that we bought when we first got married in 2020. Our area is extremely car dependent. We didn’t receive any help from our parents, and my husband graduated with a lot of student loan debt. We did a small private ceremony with immediate family only and didn’t do a honeymoon so we could direct our money towards our home and upgrading our vehicles that were old and unreliable. We now bring in 240k per year combined and are parents to a wonderful baby. We have two dogs who have been very good with our baby. We’ve paid off the student loans and have paid off the vehicles. Our only debt is the mortgage. I have a long commute, but I’m currently working to find a job closer to home. The area we live in is safe and the schools are fine. We’ve had to make several major repairs to our home, but we’ve always been able to pay cash for the repairs. I feel like I’m just now getting back into my hobbies and able to take some time for self care. I’m also trying to identify new ways to make hobbies/self care a bit more accessible. Overall, the situation on paper sounds pretty good.
Here’s where I’m struggling - several of my peers are moving into 3500+ square foot homes or doing major renovations to their homes. Several of my friends are also reducing their work hours or becoming stay at home moms. All are now living in amazing school districts. They seem to be on top of their self care and seem to be thriving. I don’t know the whole background on their financial situations and know the grass isn’t always greener, but I am feeling envious and bitter about our own circumstances.
Overall, I feel like my husband and I have worked so hard and are doing so well for ourselves, but it still feels like we can’t keep up. Does anyone have any advice for dealing with these feelings?
Posted May 4, 2025, 4:44 PM UTC