For most people, life doesn’t move in a linear way. We take steps in one direction, only to confront setbacks that force us to find our inner strength and keep going forward. There will always be challenges amidst any victory. Finding glimmers of wonder in the mundane and living with comfort and ease can feel especially difficult in tough times, but if you have these things, you’re better off than an average person.
Studies show that more isn’t always better. Life is what you make of it, not how much you have. Your outlook has a huge impact on your existence and how you experience the world around you. If you see life as an unending struggle, you’re bound to get lost in the darkness. If you think of the world as a place to explore, you’ll embark on an adventure. You’ll discover how fortunate you are and how full your life is.
If you have these 11 things, you’re better off than an average person
1. You have stable income
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If you have a stable income, you’re better off than an average person. Financial instability is a harrowing experience. Not everyone has a set income or knows where their next paycheck is coming from, which can make it feel nearly impossible to survive, let alone thrive. You might not like your job, your boss might be a nightmare, but having a reliable stream of income is a gift.
As an article published in “Sustainable Economies” points out, the rise of the gig economy has been made possible by increased access to digital platforms. The gig economy exists in stark contrast to what we think of as traditional work. Gig workers have the freedom to decide when and where they work, as they do task-based work across various types of industries.
While the gig economy offers “unprecedented flexibility for workers and cost-efficiency for businesses,” there are also significant issues with the format. Gig workers have flexibility to set their own schedule, but they also don’t have access to healthcare of PTO.
A 2021 survey from Pew Research Center found that 16% of Americans have made money through an online gig platform. They drove for a ride app or delivered people’s groceries. They ran errands and dropped off meals from restaurants. They perform essential tasks, yet they don’t have job security.
Pew reported that 31% of gig workers said they relied on that work as their main source of income in the past year, a percentage that represents 3% of U.S. adults overall, while 42% of gig workers with lower incomes said it was their primary job over the past year, 23% said that money they earned on platforms was essential to meet their basic needs, 35% said it was important for meeting their basic needs, and 39% said the income was nice but not necessary.
A reliable income isn’t a given. Having enough money to cover your daily costs of living while saving and investing makes you better off than an average person.
2. You have a balanced lifestyle
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If you have a balanced lifestyle, you’re better off than an average person. A normal week in a person’s life is full of little stressors. You have to pay rent and make sure your bills are covered. You have to hit your goals at work and find time to buy groceries, cook dinner, and clean the kitchen afterwards. If you’re lucky, you’re able to get a full night of restful, restorative sleep, but that’s not always possible. Oftentimes, no matter how much you do, there’s always the nagging feeling that you could be doing more.
The breakneck pace of our world doesn’t leave much room to decompress, which is why living a balanced life makes you better off than an average person.
Everyone has their own definition of balance, and one person’s ideal lifestyle might not be the right fit for someone else. You might love taking long walks with your dog every morning, while your partner chooses to sleep later and exercise in the evenings. Some people find they can best care for their mental health with outside support, so they see a therapist or a counselor. Others find guidance from other avenues, like community groups.
Having the ability to maintain your physical health and mental well-being isn’t available to everyone. If you have the opportunity to do so, you’re better off than an average person.
3. You have healthy coping mechanisms
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If you have healthy coping mechanisms, you’re better off than an average person. Managing stress and anxiety looks different for everyone, yet using maladaptive techniques, like emotionally numbing through substance use or repressing your emotions, is detrimental in the long-run.
Licensed psychologist Judith Tutin shares various coping mechanisms people can use to sustain them for life. “There’s considerable research to suggest that after a trauma, you can come back stronger and more resilient than before,” she notes. “Tragedy can prompt the development of new coping skills. Difficult times call for new habits to keep yourself, your family, and your mental health safe.”
Tutin reveals that exercising, going outside, eating nutritious meals, and connecting with people you love are coping mechanisms that actually make you feel better, even when everything is hard.
“Experiencing post-traumatic growth often means you find strengths you never knew you had, recognize some of your interests are more important than you thought, and move forward in life with an outlook that’s a little different,” Tutin concludes.
4. You have a supportive and loving community of people
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If you have a supportive and loving community of people around you, you’re better off than an average person. Loneliness has become a public health emergency, as former U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy explains in his “Advisory on the Healing Effects of Social Connection and Community.”
“Social connection — the structure, function, and quality of our relationships with others — is a critical and underappreciated contributor to individual and population health, community safety, resilience, and prosperity,” he notes.
“Far too many Americans lack social connection in one or more ways, compromising these benefits and leading to poor health and other negative outcomes,” Murthy concludes.
There’s unspeakable value in being around people you love, who love you back, who care for you, no matter what. When you have people you can rely on, people who you know will be in your life forever, you have so much.
5. You have opportunities to advance your career
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If you have opportunities to advance your career, you’re better off than an average person. A poll conducted by Glassdoor in 2024 reported that 65% of workers feel stuck in their current careers. That means that almost two-thirds of employees in America are unsatisfied with their station in life, or at least, in the workplace, which is where people spend the majority of their lives.
Making connections that open doors for you to feel more fulfilled in your career means you’re better off than an average person. “In a world where our professional lives often blend with our identities, finding a job that nourishes rather than depletes your mental health is not just a luxury — it’s a necessity,” career coach Lena Hardy reveals.
She touches on the myriad of ways having opportunities for advancement can make your professional life more fulfilling, noting that “a job that offers opportunities for achievement helps in creating a positive self-narrative. It reminds you of your capabilities and worth.”
Hardy points out that when a workplace “invests in your growth through training, mentorship, or providing new challenges, it shows a commitment to your professional and personal development.”
“Personal development in the workplace is a vital factor in job satisfaction, as it aligns with the human desire for progress and self-improvement. A job that fosters your growth is a job that supports not just your career goals but also your mental and emotional health,” she concludes.
6. You have joy in everyday things
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Experiencing joy in everyday things means you’re better off than an average person. Life often feels monotonous. It’s easy to lose yourself in the rhythm of your ordinary routine. Yet seeking out small moments of joyfulness will make your day-to-day experience so much more nourishing.
Author and podcaster Case Kenny spoke with YourTango’s CEO Andrea Miller on the “Getting Open” podcast, sharing that when we think about mindfulness, “We think about some element of being present in our emotions, accepting our emotions… We think of mindfulness as this tool to know ourselves and to be present in how we feel.”
“Mindfulness is also learning how to talk to yourself,” he revealed, which helps people “retrain their inner dialogues and their narratives so they can talk to themselves.”
“Mindfulness on its own, when it’s just listening, I think we’re missing half the battle and I think that’s why a lot of people are turned off from it,” Kenny continued. “We can’t only just listen to ourselves. We have to take a step forward and talk to ourselves. People really gravitate to that once they realize that fact, because it’s more ‘lean forward,’ it’s more active, it’s not this passive endeavor. It’s not just sitting, it’s more [of a] verb, it’s more action focused.”
Being able to harness the power of mindfulness and feel present allows you to find your joy, which makes you better off than an average person.
7. You have a sense of purpose
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Having a sense of purpose means you’re better off than an average person. While people’s individual purpose varies, setting goals gives everyone motivation and a path to follow. Reaching your dreams might feel overwhelming, but breaking your journey down step by step allows you to zoom out and aim for specific touchpoints that will get you where you want to be.
As psychologist Dr. Wendy Lyon shares, “If you want to be happy, you need to clarify your vision for the life and love you want … and don’t settle for less.”
“First, identify impeding beliefs that are not aligned with your true self like, ‘I’m not good enough,’ and get help to shift them so you’re feeling fabulous and deserving,” she advises. “Learn how to live your life deliberately, stay aligned with your vision and core values, and you can confidently create a life you love.”
It might take you a lifetime to discover your purpose, and that’s okay. There’s no prescribed timeline for true happiness.
8. You have a commitment to personal growth
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You’re better off than an average person if you have a commitment to personal growth. In order to change how you’re living, you first have to come to terms with the fact that living the life of your dreams won’t shield you from painful emotions, because those emotions are an unavoidable part of being human.
“I think it’s a misconception that living aligned with your true self is always going to be blissful and pleasant,” holistic wellness coach Jeffrey Siegel explains. “Following your true calling often means overcoming self-doubt and diving headfirst into difficulties.”
“You will still experience pain and sadness when in alignment, but you will know deep down that your energy and suffering means something, for yourself and for the world,” he shares.
Committing to personal growth requires you to accept that nothing will ever be perfect, and that’s more than okay.
9. You have a chance to do what you love
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Having a chance to do what you love makes you better off than an average person. Whether it’s through work or whatever you do after work ends, if you can pursue what you’re passionate about, you have something that not many people have. If you’re able to carve out consistent time, just for yourself, it shows how lucky you really are. You might use that time to read a romance novel in the bath or deep-clean the baseboards of your house, if that’s what you’re into.
Maybe you make a point to visit a new museum every month or listen to a band you’ve never heard of before. Having the opportunity to expand your mind and be exposed to cultural experiences that rearrange your views isn’t something everyone is able to access.
Maybe you’re interested in style trends over time, and you focus on finding vintage luggage from France and silk robes from India. Maybe you want to travel cross-country and take selfies with every small-town tourist attraction you can find. If you have the funds and the free time to seek out a giant ball of yarn in Wisconsin or the world’s largest spoon in Arizona, you’re better off than an average person.
10. You have hope for your future
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If you have hope for your future, even with its inevitable uncertainties, you’re better off than an average person. It’s easy to get mired down by despair and worry that your life isn’t moving in the right direction. Part of having hope for what’s to come means acknowledging a vital truth: We don’t have control over much, but we can control our reactions and live with intention.
Therapist and life coach Geraldine Kerr says that living a life that is aligned with our true self is a process of discovery. Remaining open to a felt sense guiding us from within, we resonate with and follow that which is honest, true, and meaningful for us to become aligned.
“Aligning with our true self is often a discovery made after loss when life requires that we relinquish what we had to find what we really need,” she explains.
All we can really do is nurture ourselves as best we can, cultivate close relationships, and build foundations that allow us to evolve and eventually, spread our wings and soar.
11. You have gratitude
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If you have a deep sense of gratitude that you draw strength and inspiration from, you’re better off than an average person. Being grateful is something we often overlook or don’t make time for. We’re distracted enough that it’s easy to ignore what we have, but by not paying attention to the quieter sides of our lives, we’re missing out on something essential.
As author David Ahearn points out, “If we only shift our perception away from worrying about the ‘big’ things with which we have little to no control, we make space to celebrate the ‘small’ things that we most certainly have some impact to enjoy.”
“We all have things we love — big and small, but many times we fail to acknowledge or give thanks for such things. One of the secrets of the Universe is that the more we give thanks for what we have, the more things that aren’t currently in our reality soon materialize before our very eyes,” he reveals.
Being grateful is a way into building your resilience and shifting your outlook from having a scarcity mentality to recognizing the abundance that’s already yours. Practicing gratitude is a gift, in and of itself, and it makes you better off than you could ever imagine.
Alexandra Blogier, MFA, is a staff writer who covers psychology, social issues, relationships, self-help topics, and human interest stories.
