Quote of the Week - Comparison

Is it just me or do you ever find that you are comparing yourself to others? One minute, you are perfectly fine being your own person doing your own thing, and the next, you are envying someone for what you don’t have or didn’t do.

As soon as I read this quote, I knew that I had to use it for my Quote of the Week. It is too good to pass up:

“Comparison is the thief of joy.”

                                                                                       -Theodore Roosevelt

Do you remember when you were little and you got a cool new doll or toy that you really wanted? Do you remember how happy you were? And then do you remember how you weren’t so happy anymore when you went to your friend’s house and they had a cooler, newer toy? This comparing doesn’t end when you grow up—in my opinion, it gets worse. 

Picture this: you get a brand new car and you are so excited about it. You love it and you are so happy with your decision. But then you look over at your neighbors driveway and start to compare their car to yours. Their's is nicer, their's is shinier, their's is better. And suddenly, you are robbed of the joy you had only seconds before.  

Not a car person? No problem. Imagine looking at yourself in the mirror and thinking, “I am really happy with the way I look. I’ve been working really hard at the gym, I love my new haircut, I like my makeup…” But then you go in to work that day and see someone who is thinner, “prettier,” has a cuter outfit, haircut, etc. That confidence and joy that you felt earlier completely vanished the second you began comparing yourself to someone else. 

So why do we do this to ourselves? Why do we compare ourselves with everyone else, even though we know that it will only take away our joy? It is no secret that society places a huge importance on looking a certain way and owning the “best” things. It is almost inevitable that we would eventually begin comparing ourselves to others. But it doesn't have to be that way.

If you focus on you and on the blessings in your life, and if you are content with yourself and what you have, then there is no need to look to others to stack your life up against. There is simply no point. And the odds are that the person you are comparing your life to is comparing their life to yours.

I realize that this is much easier said than done, but I challenge you to give it a try. Next time you make a decision about your life, try to be confident in it enough that, no matter what someone else has, or says, or does, your joy will not waver. 

5 Things I'd Tell My Younger Self

Is it just me or do you ever think back and wish that you could give your younger self some advice? Seeing as my 22nd birthday is coming up, (tomorrow--woo hoo!!!) I have been thinking a lot about all that I am continually learning each day as I get older. If it were possible to go back in time, there are many things that I would love to tell my younger self.

1. Enjoy being young while you can. I know that everyone says this, but as you get older you realize how true it is! Life goes so fast, and we spend much of our younger years wishing we were older. If I could go back, I would enjoy every second of my youth, because growing up is not always fun, and you are only young once! 

2. You can do much more than you think you can. This is much easier said than done, but knowing what I know now, I see how I ended up getting through some rough times that I never would have thought I could handle. And at first, I couldn't handle them. But over the months and years, I learned that I was stronger than I thought I was, and I want you to know that you are too.

3. It truly does not matter what other people think of you. Oh, how I wish I knew this one! When I was younger, I spent way too much time worrying about what other people thought of me, or what they would think of me if I did/said the "wrong" (AKA un-cool) thing. As I get older, I am learning more and more how it is so much more important to be happy with yourself than to waste your time depending on others for your happiness. Be confident in who you are, and live that out.

4. Most things are not worth stressing over. I WISH I KNEW THIS! I would have saved myself sooo much stress, worry, and time! Sure, there are things that really are important and deserve your time and (possibly a little bit of) stress. But for the most part, there is so much that is really not worth the anxiety or tears. If I could go back, I'd tell myself to think about what I'm stressing over, and then think about if it will matter in 5 years. Or even in 2 years. Odds are, it won't matter then, so it shouldn't be the cause of so much grief now.

5. It is ok if you don't know what you want to do for the rest of your life. This is something that I hear a lot of people currently in high school (and even in college) talking about. Nowadays, there is so much pressure to "find your passion" in high school and pursue it in college. But the reality is that, while this may be the case for some, it is not the case for many. Making a decision about the rest of your life while you are in high school is a huge deal, and I think that it's important for people to know that it's ok if you don't know what your passion is right now! So many people in college haven't even figured out their passion yet! So don't listen to those who push you to "find your calling" right away, or who give you a hard time if you don't have it all figured out yet. Trust me, you'll have plenty of time for that later.

Do you have any advice you would love to tell your younger self? I'd love to hear it!