We all have that friend who we compare ourselves to and always feel we come up short. Perhaps it’s because she seems to have it all together… perfect hair, perfect guy, perfect life.
How can you compete with that?
And then there’s social media. We know it’s not healthy, but how do you avoid scrolling through Instagram and NOT comparing your life to the seemingly amazing lives of others? 2-minutes on social media leaves most of us feel like our lives aren’t measuring up. Comparison steals our joy and leaves us struggling with jealousy and envy.
The good news is that we can work on comparing ourselves to others less, and focusing our energy on more important things.
“Don’t compare your behind-the-scenes with someone else’s highlight reel”
3 Ways to End the Comparison Game
Gratitude
The only force in life strong enough to quiet envy and jealousy is gratitude. Try this out, before you scroll through you Instagram feed, take a few minutes to reflect on all the things you are grateful for in your life. Perhaps it’s your friends, your family, or the unconditional love of your dog. We all have something to be grateful for. Now scroll away & notice if you find yourself comparing your life to others.
Whatever you focus on grows. Where envy and jealousy suck the life out of us, gratitude fills us back up. When you find yourself comparing your life to someone else’s, focus 100% of your energy on the things you are grateful for and watch the jealousy and envy slip away. When you feel truly grateful for what you have, what other people have matters less.
Believe that there is Room for Each of Us
Rather than explaining this one, I’m going to give the floor to Chelsea Handler. Chelsea does a beautiful job explaining how to deal with jealousy in this 2-minute video clip…
“What you have, no one else has. So there will be a place for you. Don’t think that because someone got something, you aren’t going to get something else. There is room for everybody.” ~Chelsea Handler
Remember What’s Really Important
#1 sign that my Comparison Game is going strong: I see my UPS guy more than my friends and family
When my priorities are out of whack it’s easy to get caught up in the comparison game… this friend looks more fashionable, or younger, or prettier, or more organized. Whatever she has more of, makes me want the same so I’ll go find “it” on the internet and BOOM, it shows up on my doorstep the next day.
On some level, I know that buying more “stuff,” won’t make me happier but I purchase just the same. So, back to my point, it’s a sure sign that I’ve got some work to do if my UPS guy is delivering packages on the daily.
Rather than beat myself up over it, I just recognize my over consuming as a sign that I’ve got some work to do. Does this “stuff” make me happy? Nope. It’s relationships that bring me joy and the people who love me don’t care if I am wearing the latest fashion trends or if I look like I have it all together. Who I am is enough.
Try these tips, and let me know how they work for you!
Xo
Jamie
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