Live life on your own terms: Practical Ways to Stop Comparing Yourself to others
How often do you find yourself comparing your life to others? Is there a little voice in your head that goes like, ‘they’re living such a perfect life and look at me’.
Humans have probably been comparing or rather measuring their lives to others, even pre-social media day. Whether it would be their friends living in a bigger house spending on luxurious goods or it would be some stranger showing off his skills on the streets. A part of our brain instantly tells us that they have it better when the reality could be far from what it seems.
As they say, the grass is always greener on the other side but what most need to understand is that the grass can become greener wherever you plant it. Likewise, our minds have the ability to reprogram and rebuild unwanted, ridiculous, and demotivating thoughts that unknowingly have a negative effect on our lives.
Sometimes comparisons can be helpful, as they can be effective blueprints and inspirations for you to strive for better. Whereas, other times they can be toxic, self-sabotaging, and a means to pick yourself apart and see everything that is going wrong with yourself.
Comparisons often look like –
– Anxious thoughts that are difficult to battle known as rumination
– Lack of self-confidence and feeling highly critical of yourself, the way you walk, talk, dress up, or live your life
– Tendency to be overly Cautious that is trying to be perfect or meet standards of people’s expectations
Here are Practical Ways to Stop Comparing Yourself:
While social media plays a major role in creating this ‘comparison culture’ but it surely takes some self-realization to stop peeking into the lives of others and instead start living life on your own terms.
1. Practice Gratitude – Start with writing down 3 things you are grateful for first thing in the morning and before going to sleep at night. This self-care ritual will help you enjoy life and the little joys more than chasing unrealistic fantasies or lifestyle.
2. Unlock the power of contentment – Being grateful naturally makes you content in life. Contentment doesn’t mean you don’t have future goals or that you stop being a better person but it simply means to find inner peace, joy, and happiness in the present.
3. Focus on your strengths – While you feel overwhelmed looking at people showing off their strengths, skills, and talent, don’t be. Instead look within and jot down what all you are good at, doesn’t have to the exact same things and it could be something as simple as breathing well or smiling often. Hone your skills because who knew there would be breathwork classes to guide people to breathe better, and more effectively. All you need is self-belief.
4. Be your own best friend and your biggest competition – Be there for yourself like you would for your best friend when you tend to over-analyse or over-think. Try to benchmark yourself based on your past accomplishments and not on others. Being better than your yesterday is all that matters.
5. Go on a social media break – It’s almost impossible to be satisfied with your own life if you’re constantly looking at what someone else has. Taking breather breaks from social media or following selected accounts on social media is a key in finding your mental sanity.
What do you do when you catch yourself comparing? Let us know in the comments. ✨
