Coping with Comparison

Writing a post on the dreadful c word has crossed my mind for sometime now.  You know the word….comparison.  I dislike that word so much, mainly because of the way it makes me feel.  I fall victim of comparison, sadly, more often than I’d like to admit.  Sometimes it’s like comparison hits me out of nowhere; like I will wake up and just immediately begin comparing everything in my life to everyone else….it’s terrible.  Honestly, I often feel like being a blogger is a comparison death trap.  I’ll compare my business to the much more fruitful business of someone else, I’ll compare my regular size home to someone else’s super large, perfectly clean home, I’ll compare my financial situation to someone else’s glorious financial state, I’ll compare my blog followers and readers to every seasoned and highly successful blogger on the planet, and I’ll even compare my body to the teeny tiny 19 year old Victoria Secret model who’s never birthed a child.  UGH, comparison will literally suck the life out of you.  I’m guilty of it and I’ve realized that, as much as I know I shouldn’t allow myself to do it, I don’t think it ever really and truly goes away.  We just have to reduce the instances in which it happens and find effective ways to switch gears when we find ourselves starting to compare our lives and situations to those of someone else.  Here are five things I try to do + remember when I find comparison being the thief of my joy.

GET OFF SOCIAL MEDIA

I blame social media for so much of this.  Yes, I know that social media just a highlight reel.  I know it’s not ALL ‘real life’, but, damn, that doesn’t mean it can’t suck you in to thinking that everyone else’s home, children, relationship, bank account and life is much better than yours.  The instant I catch myself thinking anything negative about any given situation in my life, while browsing social media, I put my phone away.  Truthfully, 99% of the instances in which I feel down or in a funk from comparing things to someone else has happened while browsing social media.  If I wouldn’t have been scrolling someone else’s highlight reel, I would have never had those thoughts in the first place.

CALL YOUR LIFELINE

Anytime I get in rut about anything, I call my best friend Heather.  She always, without fail, will make me feel better within five minutes.  She gives me the big fat reality check that I need, tells me to suck it up and get a grip, and then reminds me that EVERYONE has their own issues…even the person who seems to always have it all together.  Yep, they have issues, too.  And I’m not saying we should get pleasure in someone else’s pain, I mean that we’re all human and no one has a perfect life.  I had a dear friend tell me once –  Jen, just like you’re comparing yourself to that person, there are people who are comparing themselves to you.  I had never thought about that before and, honestly, it made me sad.  I would never want to portray my life in such a way that would cause someone else to feel blah about their own life, wardrobe, home, etc.  However, we all have to acknowledge, it’s not the other person forcing us to compare…it’s us.  It’s our own issues and insecurities.  So, it’s nice to have your friend(s) or family that you can reach out to when you feel that way.

There have also been times when I’ve talked to my mom or my sisters about how my kids are hard or my husband and I are in a funk (or whatever my complaint it is at the moment) and how everyone else seems to have raising toddlers and nurturing their marriage all figured out.  They very quickly remind me how that is not the case at all, that the majority of couples go through phases when raising children is tough and your marriage is hard…that’s part of life…for everyone!  And though deep down I already know this, it’s still nice to have someone else reiterate that for me.

FUEL YOUR FIRE

If you’re comparing your business to someone else’s or perhaps your body to someone else’s, let that fuel your fire.  Let their success motivate you.  Rather than getting down about yourself, be happy for the other person, company, etc. and take their ways and apply them to your own life.  If you admire someone who has a great body and you know they workout four times a week and they eat clean, then start incorporating those things into your life as well.

PRAY

Ask the Lord to help you see the blessings in your own life, for you to be able to see your victories and acknowledge your own strengths.  Ask Him to remove the negative energy and your tendency to compare yourself to others. Pray that you will no longer place your own happiness, or lack thereof, in someone else’s hands.  One of the fastest ways of discouraging ourselves and getting trapped by the sin of envy is when we compare ourselves to others. God already has a beautiful and very specific plan for each us.

Each of you must examine your own actions. Then you can be proud of your own accomplishments without comparing yourself to others. Assume your own responsibility.” – Galatians 6:4-5

REMIND YOURSELF

Remind yourself not to compare your normal, everyday life to someone else’s highlight reel.  To not compare your first day at the job to someone else’s third year.  Remind yourself how freaking awesome and fantastic you are; how incredibly lucky and blessed you are to be who you are and to have what you have.  There are millions and millions of people in this world who have absolutely nothing, yet they choose to see glory and grace.  Let us do the same!

Hi, I'm Jen!

I'm a mom of two who lives on coffee (and wine) and a lot of humor! If you enjoy affordable + achievable style, then you're in the right place. I'm so glad you're here!

Trending

Weekly Recap

Current Faves

Where I shop

Nordstrom
Nordstrom Rack
Asos
Shein
Anthropologie
J. Crew
Old Navy
Forever21
Target
Sephora
Revolve Clothing
Shopbop

Leave a Comment

10 Comments

  1. Kathy Beltran wrote:

    This is absolutely the greatest blog post I’ve ever read! Thank you for posting this. We all feel that we aren’t good enough sometimes. And reading this is just a little reminder that we ARE good enough and nobody is perfect

    Posted 1.24.17 Reply
    • Thank you so much for reading and for your kind response! We all go through this, that’s for sure! I’m having that other people were able to relate. xo!!

      Posted 1.26.17 Reply
  2. So so true!!! Social media is to blame, and I remind myself no one is perfect all the time! And that the grass is not always greener. Great post!

    Posted 1.24.17 Reply
  3. Jenna wrote:

    Jenn, this hit home because as much as I don’t want to I compare myself to you and all those other successful bloggers out there? I see all your beautiful posts and think gosh what am I doing wrong? Thank you for being so relatable and helping me feel that we all fall into that trap just have to be sure we don’t stay there.
    Love you and this post!
    Xo

    Posted 1.25.17 Reply
    • Thank you so much for your kindness! You are definitely not alone; we all go through this! I absolutely adore you! xo!

      Posted 1.26.17 Reply
  4. Monica M wrote:

    Great read! Really hits home…Anytime I find myself doing this I take those same steps to set myself straight…Thanks for sharing love!

    Posted 1.25.17 Reply
  5. Tamara wrote:

    Thank you for this.. I needed to hear it as much as I need to pass it on for my other social media friends too! Thank you!!

    Posted 1.26.17 Reply
  6. Madeleine wrote:

    Jennifer I loved this post so much I’m going to bookmark it and refer to it when I have a case of the comparisons! Thank you for your honesty and touching on such an important issue for many bloggers, as our life is so social media involved!

    xx Madeleine

    http://www.lilyandblush.com

    Posted 1.27.17 Reply
  7. Denise wrote:

    I loved reading this! You are right, we have all compared ourselves many times to others. I do it all the time!! ? But… I want to tell you how much I love watching your Insta stories! You are so sweet and funny and you just make me smile! You’re a bright light jennifer… and perfect just the way you are. You always come across genuine and kind and that’s a good thing for us all to want to achieve! ?

    @myfrenchcountrystyle

    Posted 2.22.17 Reply
  8. I appreciate your every word about the comparison. Really I can’t understand why people become so judgemental! Every people should at least read your article once in their lifetime.

    Posted 5.22.22 Reply

Never Miss a Post!

Signup today to get the latest to your inbox.