Disappointment and Depression: The Ugly Side of Self-Improvement
Despite its appeal, striving for self-improvement can often lead people down a path filled with disappointment and depression if they set unrealistic expectations for themselves or compare their progress with others'.
Dec. 24, 2022 9:12AM
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A person looking discouraged while sitting alone on a park bench surrounded by nature
For many, the idea of self-improvement is an attractive one. After all, who doesn’t want to become a better version of themselves? But what if the process of becoming a better person leads to disappointment and depression? This is the reality for many people. While they strive to become a better version of themselves, they often find that it leads to feelings of disappointment and depression. It’s easy to get caught up in the idea that we should be perfect and that anything less than perfection is unacceptable. This can lead us down a path where we are constantly striving for something that may never be attainable. The pressure to achieve perfection can be overwhelming and can lead to feelings of inadequacy or worthlessness. We may feel like we are not good enough or like our efforts have been in vain. This feeling can be especially strong when comparing ourselves with others who seem more successful or more capable than us. We may also feel like we are failing at our goals even when we have made progress towards them. These feelings can quickly spiral into depression as our sense of self-worth plummets due to our perceived failures. It’s important to remember that striving for self-improvement does not mean having unrealistic expectations about ourselves or comparing ourselves with others in order to measure success or failure. It’s important to focus on our own progress rather than comparing ourselves with others who may appear more successful than us on the surface level. When it comes down to it, self-improvement should not lead us into despair but instead should help us grow as individuals and reach our potential without putting too much pressure on ourselves along the way. If you find yourself feeling overwhelmed by your attempts at self-improvement, take some time out from your goals and focus on activities that make you happy such as spending time with friends or engaging in hobbies you enjoy doing such as reading books or playing sports. Remembering these small joys can help put things into perspective and remind you why it was important for you start this journey in the first place - because you wanted to become a better version of yourself!