5 years ago today I graduated! https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="🎓" title="Doktorhut" aria-label="Emoji: Doktorhut">

I was SO happy. All my hard work had paid off and it was such a great day celebrating with my family and friends - the uni even made a video about me and followed me around at the ceremony!

But I can’t help but think, was it worth it? (1)

I’ve always been my own worst enemy. I constantly compare myself to others, I get in my own head about where I should be because of my age...and I often consider myself a failure. (2)

I didn’t do what I intended to do after I graduated. I didn’t keep up with everyone else. I second guessed myself constantly with every little thing that I chose to do or route I chose to take. I ended up hating my life choices, and also myself. (3)

Sometimes things couldn’t be helped, the way they worked out - it wasn’t always down to me, but time and time again I blamed myself and that feeling of being a failure lingered more and more. (4)

These past 5 years have been a rollercoaster to say the least. They’ve really taken a toll on my mental and physical health, but this past year I finally decided that I needed to change my views. I needed to look at myself and life differently. (5)

Therapy helped, but so did having a wonderful supportive boyfriend, family & friends.

I’m back at uni now doing my MA & honestly, I’m struggling with this too. This year isn’t going how I planned, I don’t think it’s going how ANYONE planned, but I’m taking it step by step. (6)

This thread was longer & more honest than it had any right to be, so sorry about that https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="🤷🏼‍♀️" title="Achselzuckende Frau (mittelheller Hautton)" aria-label="Emoji: Achselzuckende Frau (mittelheller Hautton)">

Things are looking up though & I’ve been able to focus on the positives more during these past few months. Hopefully I can start being kinder to myself as well. We’ll seehttps://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="🤞🏼" title="Crossed fingers (mittelheller Hautton)" aria-label="Emoji: Crossed fingers (mittelheller Hautton)"> (7/7)