Admit it. We have all done this many times before.
She got a better grade on the test than me, so I must be stupid. He got the newest iPhone model and I have last year's model, so my family must be poor or they don't love me as much as his family loves him. The list goes on and on.
Whether we realize it or not, we are ALWAYS comparing ourselves to others. And this needs to stop. Seriously, stop it.
The grass on the other side is not always as green as you think it is.
It may look greener, but you have no idea what they had to give up for it. Maybe the parents fight all of the time because money is tight. Maybe the girl cries herself to sleep at night because she feels that no matter how high she excels, she will never be good enough. Maybe the boy is terrified no one will accept him so he hides behind his possessions.
Don't judge someone's life based on how you or the world sees them.
There is always something more beneath the surface. Something deep down that makes them a normal human, not a perfectly coiffed and tailored version that everyone else sees. Don't put someone on such a high pedestal. They are just like everyone else, trying to get through life one day, week or month at a time.
You become obsessed with them.
One social media creeping session is necessary every once in awhile, but there comes a time when it starts to become unhealthy. You become so wrapped up in where they buy their clothes or where their favorite lunch spot is. No one likes a stalker, I promise.
You forget about your own interests and loves ones.
You will never be fully happy, because you are so focused on comparing your imperfect life to the carefully selected snippets of someone's seemingly perfect life. No one usually airs their dirty laundry to the general public, so stop comparing your dirty laundry to someone's pressed and dry-cleaned suit. You may become so obsessed with being more like them that you may stray away from being true to yourself, quirks and all. I would much rather own one stunningly unique piece of clothing instead of a closet that looks just like everyone else’s. Be an original.
Give yourself the same amount of time you gave them.
Learn how to be content with what you have, and you'll be amazed what you can accomplish.
- Try to complain less, or don't complain at all. Your words influence your attitude.
- Take a break from shopping. Identify what you need to buy and what you want to buy; your closet and wallet will thank you.
- Start a thankfulness or gratitude journal. A moment of daily reflection goes a long way.
- Create a support system and keep in touch with them often.
- Take care of yourself. Eat healthy, exercise, get enough sleep. You know the drill.
- Allow others to be disappointed in you, and don't focus so much on perfection.
- Celebrate all of your accomplishments, no matter how large or small.
Let go of your expectations, and always remember: what screws us up most in life is the picture in our head of how it's supposed to be.
