Comparison Steals Our Joy

Since the release of social media platforms, dating back to 2004 (22 years!), we’ve inadvertently been conditioned to compare ourselves to others.

• Why haven’t I bought a property like Jim?
• Why has Mark got a family and I haven’t?
• Why is Jeremy in a better paid job than me?
• Why does Sarah have a perfect life?

Just stop.

Firstly, I’m not preaching here, because I’m far from perfect, and in fact, perfect sounds awful to me. I’m just looking to share my wisdom from what I’ve picked up over the years.

I still compare myself to others, I just cant help it, but I’ve learned to recognise the signs of danger and ways to let thoughts pass into my head, and then flow out without causing major disruptions.

We shouldn’t shift responsibility for our feelings onto other people – or even companies such as social media platforms – when we find ourselves comparing our lives to those of others. Ultimately, how we respond to those comparisons is our responsibility, 100% of the time.

That said, it doesn’t always make things easy. When Tracey down the road is posting photos of her happy family, her new house, and her brand-new car, it’s natural to take notice, especially if those are things you don’t have yourself… yet.

But that’s life. If she’s genuinely happy, good for her. Her success doesn’t diminish your worth, and her journey isn’t your journey. The challenge for all of us is learning to accept that, focus on our own path, and measure our progress against who we were yesterday – not against someone else’s reels or stories!