Listen Now:
Why do you need to stop comparing yourself to others? Well, it just results in you feeling worse especially when you view other people AND yourself through a distorted lens.
The tendency is to idealize the lives of people you don’t know very well because… you don’t know them very well, and especially if they are a public figure or somebody you only know via social media, then you probably only know what they choose to share with you and the world. Which as I’m sure you know by now, is only the “highlight reel” of their lives. The things they are proud of and ready to share with the world.
Also, because you know yourself and your thoughts so intimately, you have a very CLOSE and BIASED view of yourself. You might exaggerate the negative things about yourself or your flaws, especially if you are a high-achiever who has high expectations for yourself.
The pursuit might always be of what you need to FIX and IMPROVE, rather than viewing yourself through a positive lens and admiring your own strengths.
So already, you are starting from an unequal playing field when it comes to having an inaccurate perception when comparing yourself to others.
Now here are my 5 TIPS for how to stop comparing yourself to others NOW.
How To Stop Comparing Yourself To Others Now
Tip #1: Remember That Every Person’s Path Is Unique
Tip #1 is to remember that everyone has their own unique life path and circumstances. What is right for another person may not be right for you. And when you look at another person’s life and you feel jealousy or envy, this can also be a sign to look inward and reflect. Feelings of jealousy are a sign that this is what you want for yourself. Instead of hating the person or putting yourself down, try asking yourself: what one step can you take today to move closer towards your dream life?
Tip #2: Remember That Each And Every Person Is Imperfect
Tip #2 is to remember that each and every person you know or see is imperfect. When you are looking at other people’s lives, you never truly know their full story and you are often only seeing or hearing their highlight reel and not their struggles. This is the case for me (I have struggles that I don’t share online) and ANYBODY. Part of being human means that you experience ups and downs, regardless of your circumstances, nobody is perfect. So any time you are comparing yourself to others put things into perspective: you don’t know their whole journey and all the struggles they experienced before achieving success, you don’t know what their marriage or family life looks like on the inside, and you can’t possibly understand what it feels like to be them. And that’s okay, because their life isn’t perfect either.
Tip #3: Stop Focusing On Other People
Tip #3 for how to stop comparing yourself to others NOW is to STOP FOCUSING ON OTHERS. And you can do this by actively directing your focus towards things that matter to you. The people in your life you care about, the hobbies you enjoy engaging in, taking care of your physical and mental health, etc. Disconnect from the internet every once in a while and focus on the things that LIGHT YOU UP and not on obsessing over what other people are doing.
Tip #4: Flip The Script: Other People Might Be Comparing Themselves Negatively To You
Tip #4 is to remember that other people might be comparing themselves negatively to YOU and your life without you even realizing it. Realize that other people might hold an idealized version of what your life looks like in their heads, that might be totally inaccurate. Sometimes flipping your perspective like this can help you to reflect on how inaccurate their perception is, and equally how it doesn’t make sense for you to do the same to others.
Tip #5: Remember: You Are Complete Exactly As You Are
Tip #5 for how to stop comparing yourself to others is to know that you are complete EXACTLY as you are. You don’t need to achieve some milestone or goal to be good enough. You are already enough, and you don’t need to live up to some unrealistic expectations in order to know that. Once you can decide to know and understand that from WITHIN, then it will then help you to break that cycle of comparison and self-doubt.
Practice these tips regularly so you can start recognizing how AMAZING you are and that you DON’T have to compare yourself to others. Things don’t change if you don’t put them into action- so make a list of the steps and schedule a plan for you to start them over the next few weeks!
Leave a comment below letting me know your thoughts!
