Truth #1. You must stop the habit of comparison to appreciate your life.
When I was job hunting, I used to get really frustrated with how long it took. I'd go through long waiting periods and then see my friends quit and land a job quickly, discouraging me. I found myself comparing their progress to mine, and I internalized the difference in our paths as an issue with me. I started thinking something was wrong with me - either my resume, interviewing skills, or just me because that is what comparison does.
Comparison can take a toll on you and help you find new ways to punish yourself. For example, if someone is doing something you're not, you may use that to criticize or put yourself down. Or, if an acquaintance has something you don't, you may feel inadequate or unworthy about yourself. This can impact your self-worth and make it hard to recognize the value in your journey.
If I had stopped comparing myself with others earlier, I would have been able to see the value in my path. I would have quickly realized that it took me so long to find work because I was specifically looking for mission-based organizations with non-negotiable salary ranges and opportunities for upward mobility. These specific requirements make finding the right fit challenging and time-consuming.
If I had let go of comparison earlier, I could have appreciated the beauty of taking my time and pursuing what I truly wanted. I would have approached my journey with a more positive mindset, embracing the process and the lessons it brought. It wouldn't have been such a painful experience—rather, it would have been filled with valuable lessons that would have made life easier if I had been open to them.
Too often, we miss out on the positives in our lives because we're too preoccupied with comparing ourselves to others and creating a narrative that only brings us pain. We use their journeys to measure our happiness, and if we feel like we're not measuring up, we become discouraged and disheartened.
Comparison is no longer a tool you need. It is an action that stops you from growing and becoming an adult. It is the fastest way to drain the color out of your life, and if you want to grow, you must let it go. Otherwise, you'll never fully appreciate or even recognize the goodness in your own life.
If you've let comparison remove the color from your life and want it back, start here.
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