6 Legitimate Reasons Life Feels A Lot Harder Now Than It Did Even Just 5 Years Ago
microcosmos / ShutterstockLife really does feel harder than it did just 5 years ago. You're not imagining it.
The world has changed a lot, and quickly, and many of those changes have made life harder to manage. From rising political polarization to surviving a pandemic and being under surveillance 24/7, it's a lot for anyone to take in. We're all carrying more than ever. Life can feel exhausting, but you're not alone, which is why compassion for yourself and kindness toward others matter more than ever.
If life feels a lot harder than it used to, these 6 legitimate reasons explain why:
1. Social media algorithms make it way too easy to compare yourself to everyone else
PeopleImages / Shutterstock
For the past 5 years, the algorithms on our social media pages have become increasingly curated and narrowly focused on whatever the algorithm thinks will keep our attention, regardless of whether we even follow the person. This has made it way too easy for us to keep interacting with people who have what we feel we lack, even if we don't know them.
Whether it's someone's appearance, style, relationship, family, or dream home, the algorithms are literally designed to keep feeding us the same content, whether it's good for us or not. It makes sense why people are truly becoming more and more unhappy as they're constantly shown people who seem to be living the dream, whether they asked for it or not, the moment they open any social media app.
2. We're still feeling the effects of living through the pandemic
While the COVID-19 pandemic is something that most people want to keep locked away in the past as a distant memory, it really wasn't that long ago. The pandemic was a traumatic experience felt across the world. From losing loved ones to lockdowns and heated debates over vaccines, it is not something we can just move on from.
New Africa / Shutterstock
Historically, pandemics have been the cause of mass panic and suffering. Luckily, with modern medicine and access to global communication technology, we were able to fight the disease more effectively. However, there's still this underlying anxiety that especially affected Gen Z, who made up the majority of school-aged children, and are now navigating the world as teens and young adults.
3. Our brains weren't built to handle this much information all the time
If you feel like it's genuinely too much to take in, i.e., climate change, economic instability, digital footprints, financial crises, you're not alone. Researchers have started calling this a "polycrisis," meaning multiple major crises happening at the same time. There's literally too much happening in the world for us to be aware of all the time, since it's on our screens, and our minds aren't truly equipped to handle it.
According to a report, "Humans evolved to fit small groups of familiar people and to respond to immediate, recognizable threats." With the rapid expansion in digital technology and now that we're more connected than ever, it's almost too much connection. Our brains and bodies can't always tell the difference between who or what is a threat; who's worth pouring our attention to and who's not.
4. Everything costs more, and it's getting harder just to keep up
If there's one thing we can all agree on, it's that everything feels more expensive. Now, more than 5 years ago, it feels like we're living to work rather than working to live. This is leading to logging more hours at work and taking on side hustles, pulling us further away from the things and people that matter most to us in life.
DimaBerlin / Shutterstock
With so much pressure to make ends meet, many of us can't afford the luxury of taking a vacation or even a night out on the town. Gas prices are ridiculous, so driving has become a legitimate financial burden. Even grabbing a coffee or a small treat can feel surprisingly expensive now. Not to mention being worried about the housing crisis, earning a livable wage, and paying off debt after debt, with no clear end in sight.
5. People seem more divided than ever before
We knew this one was coming. The world, particularly the U.S., has become more polarized than ever. Extremist views are on the rise across all political ideologies, and we're more comfortable yelling at each other than we are having a calm discussion about worldly affairs. There's just so much at stake that it feels like if we don't move at breakneck speed, nothing will get done.
KaterynaUKR / Shutterstock
It's genuinely hard to go about your day not knowing who is going to brace for a fight about politics or who is going to listen and have an honest conversation. Not to mention, fights over politics have literally been tearing families apart and destroying friendships. As politics is now more identity-focused than ever, people are starting to question how reflective one's views are of one's moral character.
6. We're exposed to bad news every single day
Though we do have access to good news daily, we also are able to see the devastating effects of global conflicts on everyday people at all times. Even if these events aren't happening where we live, we only have to look at our phones or turn on the TV to see them., and we'll inevitably run into seeing war, famine, climate disasters, mass destruction, families ripped apart; it's like the list never ends.
Antonio Guillem / Shutterstock
We were never supposed to witness so much suffering every day. While it's absolutely it's important to stay informed about what's happening in the world, and we should try to do our part to alleviate the suffering of our fellow humans, that's too much for any one person to take on, especially if what's happening is across the world.
Now more than ever, we have to show compassion to ourselves and towards others. We're living in a world that is difficult to manage alone. It's important to check in with loved ones and stay connected with the people we care about because those relationships help us get through difficult times. And more than anything, know that you're never alone.
Luke Aliga is a writer with a degree in Technical Writing and Communication who covers relationships, culture, human-interest topics, astrology, and manifestation.
