6 Tips To Help You Stop Comparing Yourself To Others And Start Believing You Are Enough
Ever heard of the saying, “comparison is the thief of joy”? That’s because comparing ourselves to others creates a negative cycle of insecurity and feeling like we aren’t good enough. It’s SO easy to fall into this trap, especially with social media and the internet. We all see highlight reels of other people’s lives - which makes us feel bad about ourselves and what we are doing. It makes us continuously feel like we need more in all aspects of life.
It’s important to have tools and strategies to limit how much you compare yourself to others. It will take practice and building up different habits to stop this cycle. But, it’s crucial to start feeling good about yourself again and like you, and what you have, are enough.
Practice mindfulness and awareness
The first thing you need to practice in this process is catching yourself when you start to compare yourself to someone else. Be aware of it every time you are doing it and call yourself out for it so you can get better at pinpointing when it happens and what causes it. You need to be able to identify these moments as they are happening.
2. Focus on your strengths
Instead of focusing on your weaknesses or where you feel you may be lacking (something we all tend to do more than we should), focus on what your strengths are and what you are good at. Everyone is different and no one will be good at everything. That’s just part of being human. Start thinking in a “glass half full” mindset instead of a “glass half empty” one.
3. Practice gratitude
This goes hand-in-hand with focusing on your strengths. Start focusing on what you have and be grateful for that instead of focusing on what others have that you don’t. It’s a nasty cycle to fall into. It’s too easy to think about what we don’t have and what we feel like we need just because someone else has it. But, shifting your mindset to be thankful for what you DO have and being content with not having what you don’t is a game-changer.
4. Try positive self-talk
When you find yourself beating yourself up and comparing yourself to someone else in a negative way, use self-compassion. Be gentle with yourself. Have some phrases you can use to tell yourself anytime you find yourself thinking negatively about yourself to shift the narrative. Be your own hype-girl or hype-man! Start getting in the habit of talking to yourself with nothing but self-love.
5. Be okay with imperfection
This one’s a toughy. Especially for you perfectionists out there. No one’s perfect. It’s cliche, but SO real. Striving for perfection is setting yourself up for failure - it’s impossible. There’s not a single person in this world that’s perfect. And that’s okay. Work on changing your perception around perfection.
6. Seek additional support
Sometimes having an outside voice can help put things in perspective. They may tell you things you already know or have tried to tell yourself, but hearing it from someone other than yourself may have more of an effect. Having someone to lean on and talk you through the comparison trap can be super beneficial to help get you out of your own head.
It’s no secret that comparing yourself to others is detrimental to your mental and emotional health. That’s why it’s soooo important to retrain your brain and shift your personal narrative. Focusing on how to improve yourself FOR yourself without feeling the pressure or need to be perfect is the ultimate goal. Take your time to build up these positive habits to break the cycle of comparison. You are enough, just as you are.
