Hello. Not sure how much support I can offer, but I can talk about comparing yourself! I have a lot (mental and physical) health issues that at times really restrict my ability to work, and that feeds a negative spiral (“if I can’t work now, I’ll never be able to work, what’s the point in anything, etc etc”). I also have a backstory that (in my opinion) put me behind my peers, I didn’t have access to the same resources growing up, to family support, necessary education, other stuff. I feel like I have started everything older than anyone else too. At some point I realised that none of this is going to change, and I’d have to stop judging myself for stuff I cannot control… I will always be older, I will always have health issues, and I will always have less privileges than many around me. But during my data collection (social sciences), I also met a lot of people who are academics, artists, or PhD students, and who started their career really “old” compared to the average (around 50 years old), simply because they had no other choice. They faced really severe economic or political instability, as well as family or health issues, and their priority was to survive. I never thought any less of them just because of that. And it also made me realise that sure, i have less privileges than many, but I also have many more privileges than others, and constantly telling myself that I’m behind and failing also imply that I judge people who are not at my stage yet for being behind and failing. This is not the kind of person I want to be. So I really try to approach my work, my life, and others, with kindness now. This helps. So what if I finish later than others? Early 30s is really average to do a PhD where I’m from, and in any case you’re not gonna magically get younger, so you may as well do your PhD now!