stop comparing yourself to others

This is a recipie for disaster. No matter what walk of life you are in there will always be someone better than you. Also you will be better than many others. It is perfectly normal to benchmark ourselves against others or the best; this is sometimes key as part of self-improvement. We must learn to do our best in whatever endeavour we find ourselves in, nothing more nothing less. In this way we set our own standards as a way of living and finding meaning and purpose in life.

For example, do you compare how you look to people you follow on Instagram? Maybe you compare your salary to what your friend earns. Be happy with what you earn yourself or if you’re not then find a new job. If you cannot find a new job for economic reasons, then practice the following:

“God grant me,

The Serenity to accept the things I cannot change,

The Courage to change the things I can,

And, the Wisdom to know the difference”  

This approach is very good for avoiding stress, anxiety and depression.

A 2018 study published in Personality and Individual Differences found a direct link between envy and the way we feel about ourselves. It was noted that when people compare themselves to others, they experience envy. The more envy they have, the worse they feel about themselves.

If you’re feeling envious of someone else’s life, it's also helpful to remember your own strengths and successes. This helps you focus on your own life and not focusing on the lives of others.

Here are three ways to help you with not comparing yourself to others:

1.     Be grateful for what you have.

“I don’t have to chase extraordinary moments to find happiness; it’s right in front of me if I’m paying attention and practicing gratitude. Brene Brown

2.     Work on inner transformation, your own improvements.

“There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow man; true nobility is being superior to your former self.” Ernest Hemingway

3.     Don’t let others control you. Write your own life script.

“Care about what other people think and you will always be their prisoner.” Lao Tzu