The Frustration of Watching Dreams Come True for Others

I'm at this weird crossroads in life. On one hand, I dream of the typical 'success' story: money, a dream house, a fulfilling career. But deep down, all I truly crave is a loving family. I come from a middle-class background, and both my boyfriend of 6 years and I have faced our fair share of challenges (We both are 23YO).

Being an Indian woman who pursued higher education abroad, I'm navigating visa hurdles and a pressure from myself as well as my family to 'settle down.' It's hard to watch peers from more privileged backgrounds – those with established family businesses – easily just get married and settle down.

I'm not envious or resentful, but it's frustrating to see how much harder we have to work for the same outcomes. I believe in our relationship, but the constant pressure to achieve a certain level of success before starting a family adds to infinite stress. My parents, like everyone else, want us to be independent before we get married. I agree, but it's tough to see others achieving MY dreams effortlessly while we're still figuring things out. If I had the same status as my peers, I am sure that my boyfriend and I would've just easily gotten married, but now all we get to do is see other people live our dreams whereas we continue our long distance relationship.

I'm happy for my friends, truly, but I can't help but wonder: is it just me, or does it feel like some people have a much easier path to happiness? When will my time come? I am scared of so many things at the same time and this is scaring me.