Chapter 1: The Reality of Struggles

Throughout my life, I have faced numerous challenges, and I certainly haven’t experienced a life of ease. Yet, each struggle has equipped me with resilience and insight. My intention in sharing this isn’t to boast but to highlight a troubling observation: many individuals do not truly wish to see you thrive.

Instead of celebrating your achievements, some seem more interested in your hardships. They prefer you to serve as a testament to what suffering looks like. Interestingly, I’ve found that during my tough times, I am not entirely devoid of support. However, as I begin to take steps to improve my situation, the very same people who were initially there often seem to drift away.

While sometimes this may stem from a lack of malicious intent, I frequently notice that those who offer to help you when you’re at your lowest are often the first to vanish when they see you rising. In essence, it appears that some individuals become uncomfortable when you achieve success after overcoming adversity.

People often resist being outpaced by others, fearing that your success might imply their own stagnation. There’s a curious dynamic at play where those who reach for the stars can irritate those too fearful to even glance at the sky.

If you’ve ever observed crabs in a bucket, it’s a perfect analogy. When one crab attempts to escape, the others below seem to collaborate to drag it back down. This "crab mentality" illustrates how groups can undermine those who perform better. There will always be individuals who try to stifle others' progress to maintain their own status.

So I pose this question: when you hear of someone else's good fortune, do you genuinely celebrate their success? Are you secure enough in your own achievements to feel unthreatened by theirs? Or do you find yourself acting like a crab?

Chapter 2: Understanding Support and Jealousy

Section 2.1: The Illusion of Support

In moments of hardship, the illusion of support can be comforting, but it often fades when we start to rise.

Subsection 2.1.1: The Shift in Dynamics