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How to Stop Comparing Ourselves to Others
Measuring ourselves against others leads to feelings of insecurity and that we are not enough. Comparisons are draining and keep our focus on others rather than on ourselves. In the long-run, they hurt us.
There will always be people who have more than us, who can do more than us, and who have what we desire. Similarly, there will always be people who have less than us, do less than us, and are in situations we don’t desire. It is inevitable. It is a fact of life that we are better off accepting and not indulging in.
Don’t get me wrong, even though I realize comparisons aren’t healthy, I struggle with comparing myself to others. I have done it my whole life and continue doing it still, but I have gotten better at managing it. Here is how I have learned to reduce the desire to compare.
Comparison Includes Competition
I feel it is important to include competition in this explanation. Competitiveness is at the heart of comparing. It involves examining the difference between ourselves and others. Sometimes we stack up higher and sometimes we stack up lower.
Although competition is healthy in team sports, it isn’t in real life. We strive to be better or do better than others. If we don’t measure up, we feel inadequate. Even if we do measure up, the feeling is temporary. Also…
