Finding your state of mind by noticing where peers are at -- classic/dud?

I'd pretty much say dud, though I think it's an unfortunate habit of mine, an easy rut, not a constant problem but not something that stays away either. On the one hand there are those who seem to have it all or at least have a heck of a lot of it, at least in terms of finding a place and a state of mind and more -- on their own, with significant others, etc. -- that seems to be either beyond my grasp at present or just makes me annoyed (or worse) with my past self. On the other hand, there's someone like a coworker of mine, currently falling into a fairly deep black mood given the fact that his wife is about to have a baby -- unlike folks here like Alex, Andy K and mcd, he is NOT a happy expectant father, has never wanted children, and the approach of the birth (a month and a half away now) is anything but a cause for celebration, as he made clear to me yesterday. A 'keep up with the Joneses' feeling on the one hand and an a patting oneself on the back/'at least I'm not THAT person' feeling on the other is a poor combination indeed.