Hi there. This feeling is not new, it’s just the first time I want to ask other people about it. I joined a volleyball community in my city just to get some exercise and meet new people. I’ve realized it’s one of the best ways to enjoy my life; to play, smile, and have fun in a social setting. I’ve shied away from such activities for most of my life because of a certain issue I’m about to discuss. That is that, I feel intimidated by other people’s economic status. I view everyone as always having a better financial status than me and it’s making me hesitate in developing some relationships with them. I feel self conscious of my financial status. I feel ashamed when I say that I took the bus to go to a certain game. Or that I would have to skip the lunch after the game because I’m trying to save a few bucks. I have to force myself to actively attend because from experience I know my body likes it, but I can’t get over the not being able to keep up with them financially thing. They are not rich, I’m just really poor at this point of my life, so even as simple as going out to iHop for breakfast before the game, I skip on. No one is looking down on me for my financial status, but my self esteem keeps telling me I can never keep up with them. Is this just a bad fit for friends for me or am I just caught up in my own self-esteem issues?

Everyone goes through life at their own pace, I reasoned. I may not be in the same pace as them now, but it doesn’t mean that someday I won’t be.