Comparison is the thief of joy.” – Theodore Roosevelt
And it’s not doing self-discovery any favors, either.
That’s because your journey to self-discovery is about exploring what lights you up– and celebrating it!
When we compare ourselves to our friend’s selfie with 150 likes, the “perfect” parent who makes Pinterest-worthy baked goods, or our coworker who makes juggling multiple projects looks easy – we almost always end up feeling inadequate.
We know this already, so why do we still do it?
We compare and we strive to be perfect because we want to feel worthy. We think that being perfect will make us worthy of that love, success, or adoration.
But the truth is: you’re already worthy.
So how do you recognize this on a daily basis?
PRACTICE!
Here’s something that works for me:
- Every time I feel loved, I try to take a millisecond to feel gratitude. To soak it in. I may close my eyes after a sweet text from my husband. Or breathe in the compliment from a stranger. Or replay a kind word from my parents. I try to absorb and internalize that good energy. And it helps me recognize that there is enough to go around!
- I enjoy admiring awesome people. Truly. I choose to feel inspired by the amazing thinkers and creators in my life (and choose to hang around them as much as possible) – because what you admire in someone else can make you shine, too.
- When I stopped the constant comparison (and trust me, I do it less, but I’m not perfect – ha!) I found that I felt freer from anxiety producing thoughts and this crazy fear that I wasn’t good enough. Instead I have a lot more time to focus inward. To learn more about me. Spending more time on cultivating my inner life is what leads me to really appreciate the life I have.