Please, Don’t Ever Let Other People Change How You See Yourself

As Theodore Roosevelt once said, ‘comparison is the thief of joy.’ I will second that.

How many times a day do you notice that you are comparing yourself? I am not just talking about comparing yourself to an individual, although that is the most common outlet for comparison.

Personally, I find myself comparing my work to others and deeming it mediocre. I compare the timeline of my life to others and convince myself that I am behind in my life journey. I compare my faith to others and feel more unworthy than I already do. I even compare myself to my own self, to times in my life when I was happier and life was easier. This list could and would go on for days, but I think you get the point.

By definition, to compare is to estimate, measure or note the similarity or dissimilarity between something. What is the point? Why are we comparing ourselves to others when we should be celebrating the notion that we are unique because of our quirks, flaws and differences?

Being uniquely and undeniably you is something that no one can take away from you. Your differences in opinions make you a contributing voice to society. Your past mistakes have shaped your future. You outfit, hair, makeup choices – these are something you have the ability to choose, so choose what makes you comfortable.

Comparison is an active choice. Happiness is also an active choice. Choose the second.

Choose to celebrate every little thing that makes you, you. Do not choose to obsess over your journey’s alignment with someone else’s. I know, I know it is hard. We live in an era that gives us ample channels of comparison, looking at you social media.

There are days that you are going to make mistakes; there are days when you are going to feel like you do not fit in anywhere in this world. There are going to be times when you do not feel like you are making an impact when others are. However, when you have those bad days, do not spend them comparing your shortcomings to someone else’s progress – you have no idea the journey that they have taken to get where they are.

The best part about being you? You get to decide who that person is. So choose joy, choose happiness, and choose uniqueness. Celebrate your small victories that no one will ever know about and remember that no matter what – your differences are what set you apart. Do not let anyone (mainly yourself) take away the joy of being a unique and different person in a very comparative world.