The WOM Syndrome

When was the last time you’ve heard someone complain about not being where they’re “supposed” to be? For instance:

“I should be working my dream job right now, I went to college.”

"Why can't I have success over night?"

"Why can't people just give me money. I deserve it."

“Why is everyone else in a relationship and I’m not?”

“I’m twenty-seven. I should be engaged by now, married by 28 and ready to have kids by 29. Then at 30 I should be making at least six figures while moving into my mc mansion and purifying myself in the waters of lake Minnetonka.”

And everything in between.

I'm not going to lie. I've said the college line every time Great Lakes sent me a notification stating that my payment is due. You, yourself, may be a victim of the “World Owes Me” syndrome and that can easily be amended.

Everyone knows the first step to fixing a problem is admitting that there is one. How could anyone make the necessary changes and steps to being a better them if they can’t accept that something is wrong? One of the main symptoms for the WOM syndrome is lack of or displaced happiness. If you’re searching for it in others, that’s only a temporary fix. If you barely have it yourself, then you need to re-evaluate and figure out what you are doing that’s stopping you from being a success. It’s not easy. My problem, for a very long time was that I wasn’t happy and I kept telling myself and others that I was. And I was searching for “my happy” in everyone else. When I wasn’t content, I blamed others. I was lying to myself. Even when I knew I was lying, I always thought that if I never say it out loud, it doesn’t make it real. After forcing myself to share it with others, I was able to start tackling my issues… You can too. One day at a time.

The second step to curing this illness is by telling yourself this: “I don’t deserve everything.” It sounds ludicrous and it’s not fun to say but give it chance. Try saying that out loud, even multiple times. Now remember it. I had a deep conversation with someone (you know who you are) a couple months back where I was frustrated with where I was in life with my career (lack of) and student loans. I kept saying hey, I went to college, I deserve this, that, this and this and I sounded like a brat. I didn’t care. Somebody dealt me a bad hand, someone tampered with the deck, somebody owes me! But it doesn’t work like that. Once I really came to that understanding, it took me a hot minute to accept it. I guess you can say what any of us truly deserve is human rights—life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Other than that, the world doesn’t owe you shit.

Third and my final point is, give yourself some credit. You are doing way better than you think you are. It’s an easy reflex to compare yourself to somebody else who is well off, someone whose parents paid for their student loans, someone who got a job straight out of college, yadi-yadi-yada. And then it’s easy to be tough on yourself for not achieving the same thing. You are not them. You didn’t have their same experience. “They” did not and will never live the same life as yours. What are you rushing for? You’ve obviously been placed here in your life for a reason. Some of us is just tired of waiting and waiting and I get that. Everyone craves that instant gratification because of the feeling it produces. Stop yourself. Look around. Maybe there’s something you need to learn before you continue your journey. Really, it’s okay. Embrace your accomplishments and thank the people who’ve helped you get there. My family would constantly tell me “Count your blessings.” Heed their advice. If you’re reading this, your mission in life is not done.

The WOM syndrome can be cured. It takes time and patience. Believe me; I'm still a work in progress. Any time you're on the verge of complaining about how life is not fair, remind yourself: You are where you need to be.

Meow,

Alaysia

#Problem #Blessings #College #Happiness #Career #Patience