The Thief of Joy…
As the quote goes…comparison is the thief of joy; and yet we can all recall a time where we have compared ourselves to someone else. Whenever I catch myself starting to use the greater than or less than symbols I pose a series of questions:
Why do you want what they have?
Are you willing to go through what they did to get what they have?
Or do you just like the idea of what they have?
What difference do you think having it will make in your life?
These questions ground me and bring me back to my reality. Oftentimes we don’t have the slightest clue to their traveled path to “success” and everything that it entails so if you’re in a season of comparison or find yourself with the desire of wanting what someone else has here are 3 things to practice.
Shift your perspective. We often want what someone has due to the perspective that we lack something because we don’t value what we currently have. The grass isn’t always greener on the other side especially when you haven’t given the grass on your side a chance to grow. Give your grass a chance before you try stepping on someone else’s lawn.
Practice presence. Get grounded with where you are in real life. Be mindful of what you consume (visually & audibly) and take note of how it effects you (take a break from social media, unfollow pages that enhance your insecurities, etc).
Explore. You may feel like there’s a gap, that something missing. Take the time to shine a light on the area you feel inadequate in. Learn how where you once were is affecting where you currently are. Use this as a chance to unlearn a thought process or behavior.
Remember your value lies in your uniqueness & nothing can compare to being YOU! Your success is yours and will happen when you’re ready. A lot of times we want things that we’re not even equipped to handle right now. Do your due diligence and allow yourself to be developed. Patience takes emotional, mental, & spiritual endurance and no one said it would be easy so take a deep breath and get back to it one step at a time.
