12 Sadly Simple Signs You're Doing Way Better Than Most People Right Now
KIRAYONAK YULIYA | ShutterstockWe live in uncertain times, defined by economic instability and political upheaval. Feeling stressed has become baseline, with 8 of 10 people reporting a financial setback in 2025. Because of that, the signs that you're doing well have become sadly simple compared to previous generations.
This isn't just about money (but it is, a little bit, about money!), it's also about opportunities to find joy and security. If you have these, you're doing great.
12 sadly simple signs you're doing way better than most people right now
1. You don’t have student loan debt
Litvinov | Shutterstock
You’re better off than an average American if you don’t have student loan debt. Having access to higher education is a privilege, one that most people are unable to access without some form of financial aid. According to the Education Data Initiative, the outstanding federal loan balance is $1.620 trillion, and it accounts for 91.2% of all student loan debt.
There are 42.8 million borrowers with federal student loan debt. The average federal student loan debt balance is $37,853 and the total average balance, which includes private loan debt, goes up to $40,681.
34% of student borrowers owe $10,000 or less, and 79% owe $40,000 or less. To get a bachelor’s degree, the average public university student takes out $32,362.
Carrying student loan debt impacts people on a very real level. The money that gets put towards paying down student loan debt could be used for living expenses, which would ease people’s sense of being financially strapped. If you don’t have student loan debt, you have more money in your pocket each month, which is a sign you’re better off than an average American.
2. You have figured out the secret to work-life balance
fizkes | Shutterstock
This may seem simple, but if you've figured out how to manage your work and personal lives even relatively successfully, you're doing way better than most people right now. Most of us have nowhere near a grip on this aspect of our lives!
When it comes to work, we’re given very mixed messages. We’re told that work shouldn’t take over our lives, yet more often than not, our worth is linked to productivity. Being able to separate yourself from your job isn’t easy, especially when the societal pressure to succeed on a professional level is so high.
According to Mental Health America’s Work Health Survey, almost 40% of full-time employees in the U.S. reported working at least 50 hours a week. 18% said they work 60 hours or more. These statistics highlight how normalized overworking is in the U.S., despite knowing the damage it can do.
This often goes double for women, who are expected to manage the vast majority of household labor, caring for the kids and bringing home a salary all at the same time. So, if you’re able to approach work with a balanced mindset and you can unplug at the end of the day, it’s a sign you’re better off than an average American.
3. You bring in a steady income that covers your expenses
fizkes | Shutterstock
Having a steady source of income is a sign you’re better off than an average American right now. Unfortunately, living paycheck to paycheck is reality for many people, which means they experience consistent financial anxiety.
Having a stable salary and job security means you can cover living expenses without such intense stress. Sure, times could get hard, you could lose your job, but for now, you feel secure. You may even have money in the bank!
The U.S. Census Bureau reported that the real median household income in 2024 was $83,730, which is not a statistically significant increase from the year before. Since then, the Consumer Price Index (CPI), a measure of how much essential items cost has continued to rise, putting the average American in a tight spot.
So, if you can cover your expenses right now, count yourself very lucky!
4. You have money saved for the future
fizkes | Shutterstock
As I just noted, if you can put money in savings, you're absolutely winning in the world today.
Having a financial safety net signifies that you make enough money to live, plus a little extra. You can even start a special savings account for your kids, if you have them, like a 529. This is a great way to avoid paying taxes on the gains that will help you pay for your child's higher education someday.
According to the Federal Reserve, in the years 2024-2025 the median number of dollars in American savings accounts totaled around $8000. If you have more than that, you're doing extremely well.
5. You own a home
Face Stock | Shutterstock
By now you've probably heard how challenging it is for younger millennials and Gen Z adults to buy a home compared to their Gen X and baby boomer parents. Sadly, it hasn't gotten much better in the last few years.
The nationwide housing crisis doesn’t seem to be going anywhere anytime soon, as shown by various studies and statistics reporting record high costs and a general sense of anxiety felt by people across the country.
A survey from Pew Research Center reported that 69% of Americans are “very concerned” about the cost of housing.
Their analysis touched on the topic of housing affordability, noting that a common-yet-criticized benchmark holds that no more than 30% of household income should go toward housing costs. A household that spends more than that is considered “cost burdened” by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
According to that measure, 31.3% of households in America were cost burdened in 2023. 27.1% of those households had mortgages and 49.7% were households that rent.
Given how unaffordable the housing market has become, owning a home is a sign you’re doing better than most people.
6. You have opportunities for professional growth
Maria Markevich | Shutterstock
If you have opportunities for professional growth, it’s a sign you’re better off than an average American. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the unemployment rate has been rising steadily since 2022.
With that in mind, having a job at all is a sign you’re luckier than most people in this current moment. Having a chance to grow in your career shows that you’re better off than others.
Career and life coach Heather Moulder writes that work-life balance and job satisfaction depend on how employees “feel about their roles at work, their connection to their work (and the people there), and how the company (including management) treats them. It's about how they feel about their work and how it fits into their life and overall happiness.”
Professional growth can take many forms, such as having access to mentorship and skills training, to promotions, salary increases, and an overall sense of liking what you do each day. While your job certainly doesn’t have to be be your big dream-come-true, feeling inspired is something special, and a sign you’re likely doing better than most.
7. You travel frequently
maxbelchenko | Shutterstock
Traveling for pleasure is one of life's greatest luxuries, especially if you're an adventure-minded person. Whether your ideal destination is Disney World or Denmark, having the funds and free time to travels means reduced stress and increased happiness. It's a big sign you're doing great right now.
It’s one thing to visit your parents for holidays, which can be framed as an obligation, versus checking off a backpacking trip across Southeast Asia from your bucket list. After all, travel isn’t cheap. There’s the price of airfare, plus lodging, meals, transportation, and pretty much any activity you want to do.
Having the ability to afford traveling goes beyond material costs: You also need to factor in job flexibility. Access to this type of leisure is something not everyone has, which is why traveling to your heart’s content is a sign you’re better off than an average American.
8. You have close friends
Prostock-studio | Shutterstock
Friends are a gift to be treasured. You hear that from older people when you're a child, but you don't truly believe it until you're a full-grown adult, missing those days when you could just hang out with your best friends all day.
On a more practical level, the value of having a social safety net can’t be underestimated, and far too many people feel like they don’t have one. Friends provide us with so much, from bringing us soup when we’re sick to making us laugh so hard, we’re weeping.
But having close friends isn’t a given, and a significant number of Americans are socially isolated, so much so that former U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy declared that our country is in the midst of a loneliness epidemic.
“Loneliness is far more than just a bad feeling,” Murthy explained. “it harms both individual and societal health.” He noted that loneliness is associated with having a higher risk of depression, anxiety, dementia, stroke, cardiovascular disease, and even premature death.
Ultimately, it doesn't matter if you run with the popular crowd or you’re more of a lone-wolf, the quality of emotional connection is more important than anything else. Having real friends is a gift and a sign you’re doing better than many others. So take good care of those friends!
9. You have an opportunity for self-care in your daily life
Yuganov Konstantin | Shutterstock
Being able to take care of yourself physically and mentally shows you're doing better than most people right now. If you can do a yoga class, online or in person, or take a walk, you're doing great.
Life is fast-paced and our schedules are hectic, which means we neglect the things that make us feel whole. We skip working out because we have deadlines, when really, we could stand up from our desks and stretch for 15 minutes or walk around the block. We rush through the routines that ideally provide a sense of grounding and peace. Instead of having dinner with loved ones, we eat a sandwich standing over the sink.
As Intuitive Life Coach Ronnie Ann Ryan shares, “the end goal of self-care is to show yourself love.”
“When you take time just for yourself, you are demonstrating self-love,” she continued. “All self-care options lead to honoring the unique being you are, your right to exist, take care of yourself, and make yourself happy.”
However you choose to honor yourself, whatever self-care means to you, being able to put yourself full and do things that make you feel good, instead of just going through the motions. If you have the time, you're very fortunate indeed.
10. You have access to mental health care
Maridav | Shutterstock
Having access to mental health care is a sign you’re better off than an average American right now. No one is immune to hardship or emotional turmoil, yet many people aren’t able to get the support they need, even when they actively reach out for it.
The American Psychological Association reports that 90% of Americans think that there’s an ongoing mental health crisis in the country. Half of young adults and one-third of adults reported feeling anxious always or often within the past year, yet one-third of respondents couldn't get the necessary mental health services they were seeking.
80% said the cost of mental health care was prohibitive, while over 60% said stigma and shame were their main obstacles. The APA also notes that 60% of psychologists had no openings for new clients.
It takes immense courage, self-awareness, and self-compassion to ask for professional help when it comes to mental health, and the fact that people can’t get the treatment they need to feel better is emblematic of how the American health care system is failing us all.
If you have mental health support, count your lucky stars. It literally saves lives.
11. You feel emotional supported by family
Chay_Tee | Shutterstock
Feeling close to your family of origin is a sign you’re doing better than many others. After all, we don’t always fit into the families we’re born into. While the idealistic version of family involves harmony, affection, and unconditional love, for many Americans, that’s not their lived experience.
Some people grow up in judgmental households that negatively affect their well-being in adulthood. Others have transactional parents, or cold-hearted people for relatives, or they were raised in environments that weren’t safe, either on an emotional or physical level.
No family is perfect, because no person is perfect, but feeling accepted by your bio family is a big deal, and a sign you’re better off than an average American.
12. You’re connected to your community
PeopleImages.com - Yuri A. | Shutterstock
So much of this world feels out of our control, and it is. We can’t force the cost of living to go down. We can’t stop buying groceries, even though they’re wildly expensive. We can't make people in far away lands feel safer.
What we can do is make deeper connections with the people around us. We can focus on mutual aid and helping out our neighbors. We can show up for each other in a whole-hearted, fully present way, because in the end, we are all we have, and it’s the power we find in community that creates a life worth living.
We can live true to our values, and if you're connected to a community that reflects yours, you're doing better than most people. It is a gift that is hard to explain and even harder to replicate, and you are very lucky to have it.
Alexandra Blogier, MFA, is a staff writer who covers psychology, social issues, relationships, self-help topics, and human interest stories.
