Most people have no clue what status anxiety actually is, even though it is these same people all suffering from it. This current hash tag culture is obsessed with caring about what others think, so much so that unless you have the best phone, shoes, car, house etc., you are no one.
Status anxiety is a fear of being thought about by others as less than, based on where you come from and the fear that being financially poor will make you less of a person in other people’s eyes, or even in your own.
We have to stop comparing ourselves with others when it comes to our material wealth and begin to create lives that suit and accommodate our needs and true desires, not fancy. Being trapped in a fancy box, next door to the Jones who constantly upgrade their box every time the TV commercials lure them in for a cannot miss sale or bargain purchase to make them look posher, richer and more important, is pointless and stupid.
My advice is simple, have less stuff to clutter and hide behind and create more exiting experiences that cost nothing but make you really happy. Feelings of inadequecy come from deep in the subconscious and can be triggered by bullying or childhood trauma but also for many, the knowing deep down we haven't really tried anything different or new makes us feel lesser than. It's very easy to say, that's not me, I couldn't do that, that's not possible because.....Believing you are enough comes from having a go, doing your best and being grateful for all you have already. To know you have status you got to live it. And once you start getting on with steering your ship you won't even notice if it's the biggest one on the ocean.
Live outside the box and don’t give a fig about what someone else has or aspires to because when we compare ourselves to others we feel smaller but when we give to others less fortunate, and there is always someone, we feel bigger.
Photo by: HP Koch Unsplash