You hear it time and time again. More and more, depression and other disorders are experienced by young girls at astonishing levels. Whether it’s body image, lifestyle, or success, you constantly hear how the media and entertainment industry are at fault for morphing the idea of “perfection” into their own little mold, giving people (young girls and adults alike) skewed perceptions of reality.
While we cannot place blame, we think this simple quote perfectly applies to the present cultural landscape. Theodore Roosevelt once said, “Comparison is the thief of joy.” And, boy, was he right.
Constantly people look at what is referred to in the blog world as “thinspo” and think, “Gosh, they’re so thin! I wish I looked like her.” Other times, this comparison – resulting in jealousy – is directed toward people we love and their successes, oftentimes leading to unnecessary resentment and strained relationships.
Whatever you’re guilty of, it has to stop. Learn how to be happy with your own accomplishments, make your own definition of “greatness”, and if you want an aspect of your life to be different, make the changes necessary to accomplish it. The more you compare yourself with others, the more “inadequate” you feel, and that just isn’t being fair to yourself.
Below, we give you tips on how to take this quote to heart.
1. Make a list of your own goals.
If you want something, you need to make steps towards that goal every single day. The sum of all the parts equals the whole, and if you write them down they are easier to keep track of. Want to lose ten pounds? Make a goal of replacing soda with water. Jealous of your friend’s vast vocabulary? Make a goal of learning one new word a day. Simple steps like this will get you to where you want to be. Plus, being proactive is much more productive then wishing.
2. Always put in 110%
If you want something, work for it. You might not always reach your exact goal, but simply knowing that you dedicated yourself to something feels like an accomplishment in and of itself. You’ll stop comparing yourself to others once you know what you’re capable of.
3. Don’t compare your behind the scenes footage to everyone else’s highlight reel.
Sometimes, we look at others and wonder how/why they are so perfect. “I wish I was as fit as her”, “I wish I had gotten promoted”, “I wish I was as smart as talented as him”. You know what? Everyone goes through struggles. The fact that people don’t regularly display their struggles doesn’t mean they haven’t gone through them. The point is: You don’t know what people have sacrificed to be where they want to be. Nothing is handed to you o n a silver platter, as they say!
The only person you should compare yourself to is yourself, by trying to better yourself every single day.
Are you guilty of comparing yourself to someone?
Feature image: TheBusyBrain via photopin cc
