“Comparison is the thief of joy” – Theodore Roosevelt
A couple of years ago, I saw this quote and it struck a chord…who and what was I comparing my life to. I also realized I was comparing my unedited version of my life to everyone else’s edited version…you really don’t know what goes on behind closed doors.
As an Organizer and Life Coach, I talk with and work with a lot of people who have allowed comparison to steal their self-confidence, their happiness and their uniqueness. There is a belief system, rampant in this society, that we should all talk alike, act alike, think alike and look alike. Nothing is further from the truth. You are a unique person, living at this time and created for a specific purpose. Spending your life looking around to see what others are doing and trying to do what they do and be who they are is futile. As Oscar Wilde put it, “be yourself, everyone else is already taken.”
It is true, someone is always going to appear to be smarter, prettier, skinnier, more fit, more organized, and more “put together”. Others will also seem to be a better parent, have more self-control, a better time manager, a better cook, more stylish, more spiritual…the list is endless. When you start looking inward and embracing who you are, the fun begins. It is like putting on the right clothes…they fit and they are just right for you.
So, how do you get out of this comparison habit? Get to know you…the real you. Be honest and self-evaluate. What gifts and talents do you possess? What are your weaknesses? What have you accomplished? (Remember they don’t have to be newsworthy to be real accomplishments). What talents and dreams did you have as a child that have vanished? What brings you joy? When are you at your best?
This kind of self-evaluation takes a lot of honesty and a lot of digging deep. I promise you, this is a journey worth taking. Don’t let comparison steal your joy. Find the real joy in being who you were created to be.
By Contributing Author: Peggy Walker Barnes, Keep It Simple Girl™