Hello BgEd, welcome here. I hear the anger and frustration in your post, and how it feels as though the world seems set up to advantage others and grant them successes while you feel stuck and helpless to change. It sounds too like you've had criticisms and failures along the way, but perhaps few (or no) people have taken the time to support you or give you recognition for the good things you've done in life. It certainly sounds like you've been trying hard, and constantly evaluating yourself against others standards must be difficult for you. We all have strengths, gifts, and things we contribute to the world and deserve to be recognised for them.