23

24

SOUL

It doesnt make sense to call ourselves ugly, because we dont

really see ourselves. We dont watch ourselves sleeping in bed,
curled up and silent with chests rising and falling with our own
rhythm. We dont see ourselves reading a book, eyes fluttering
and glowing. You dont see yourself looking at someone with

things like, Good for her, she is an amazing tennis player and
then be happy that she has that skill and admire her for it. This
will empower our own self.
3. Foster relationships If we create relationships of
love and respect we can see the beauty in each other. This
helps us to be happy and empowers us to be more than we
are.

Comparison is the thief of joy.

ARE YOU
TIRED OF
COMPARING
YOURSELF
TO
OTHERS?

he is so much prettier than me. Her eyes are

so much bluer than mine. She is so successful
and has it all together. He gets all the girls. He is
so much better at his job than I am. Do these
thoughts seem familiar? Unfortunately it is something that we all do and it is all too common. It is comparison.
It is a widespread problem that robs us of our joy and leaves
us feeling empty and dissatisfied. Just like many of you, I have
struggled with this repeatedly in my own life.

When it starts
Comparison really rears its ugly head as early as childhood. A
child sees another kid with blonde hair and thinks that is the
kind of hair that is best. Comparisons could also be based on
a skill, knowledge, and the list goes on. We know that this is a
problem, so lets do something about it!

Why it doesnt make sense

Recently I came across this quote that had me looking at body
image and comparison in a whole new way. It helped me with
my own personal issues and struggles when it comes to comparison.

love and care inside your heart. Theres no mirror in your way
when youre laughing and smiling
and happiness is leaking out of
you. You would know exactly how
bright and beautiful you are if you
saw yourself in the moments where
you are truly yourself. (Goddard)

how to stop it
When I read this quote I realized that I dont really see myself, I see only others. I look at
them and see all their beauty,
but dont see mine. It is important to empower ourselves and understand our own beauty and our own strength. Here are a few ways to do that:
1. Acknowledge the problem We all do this. We all
compare. Something else we all know is that to fix a problem
we must acknowledge that there is a problem. This is the first
step. If we can do that, then we are already working towards
fixing the problem.
2. Acknowledge the positive in others Everyone
around us has something that they are amazing at. A big part
of overcoming comparison is to realize that just because someone else is great doesnt make us any less special. We can say

4. See the human in everyone Realizing that we are all

human, that we are all beautiful, that we all err, and that we all
have weakness, can help us to
see those around us in a more
realistic light. Everyone has their
issues, everyone has their flaws,
but that is what makes us beautiful and unique.
5. Have Gratitude! Recently I listened to a podcast in which
one of the women was talking
about Veruca Salt from Willy
Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (Goddard). She always wanted
more and more and more and
could never be satisfied. As a result, she was the most miserable
child at the factory. She could never be happy because there
was always more to attain. If we are grateful for our beautiful
lips, or our killer tennis swing, we can be more grateful for the
skill and attributes that others have. This is where true happiness comes from.

be happy
I heard something a while back that has always stuck with me.
Comparison is the thief of joy (Kelley). When we compare, we
are only robbing ourselves of happiness and complete joy. If
we want to be happy, we must eliminate comparison from our
everyday lives and replace it with gratitude, positivity, and love.
WRITER
Comparison

MARY PETERSON

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