Comparing yourself to others can have an impact on your self-perception. Do you think it could be negative or positive? Have you compared yourself to others? Which effect did it have?
Comparison had both effects on me while I was growing up, I experienced both negative and positive impacts and this made me know more about life, the negative effects nearly sent me to an early grave.
When I finished my secondary school education and started looking for admission into the university, to gain admission into the university here in my country was a thug of war, I am talking about the year 2010, it was a survival of the fittest because you can write the entrance examination four to five times and not still be giving admission.
I wrote the entrance exam the first year and I passed but I was denied admission, my friend got admitted into the university and that was how depression set in for me, many of my classmates got admission that year and this broke our connection, they started forming big boys and girls and sees us as an unserious fellow, I started crying every day but my mother was there to encourage me, the comparison set in and I was so furious at myself that year.
Comparison brings in low self-esteem, I questioned myself because I knew I put all my effort into passing the entrance examination, I passed but my name was not among the selected ones, I began to overthink and started comparing my classmates which I was way better than in terms of knowledge, I was disturbed, thinking day and night and this almost damage my mental health.
Comparing myself to others made me lose another opportunity, I was so sick when I was supposed to sit for another examination all in the name of depression, I registered for the examination but I couldn't write it, my mental health was against me year and I had to wait for another year before I could gain admission into the university.
My mother made me stop comparing myself to others, she told me to see people who are better than me and people that I am better than, she made me realize that God knows what was best for me and it wasn't my time, one of my classmates got rusticated in the university because she cheated in an exam and was caught, she had to start over again in another university while I was in my third year, I am not making joke of her but what if I had died during the cause of comparing myself with others? I had to stop and wish anyone who was ahead of me well.
Other people's progress motivates me at this stage of my life, I see their success as a stepping stone to greatness for me, I always motivate myself to do more if I see anyone who is successful since I stopped comparing myself and embrace people's success and tap from their grace rather than being jealous of other people success.
Also, I learn from others, learning has no end, I familiarize myself with people who are better than me and see them as friends, not as competitors, I have been gaining more in associating myself rather than sitting in one corner and thinking bad of myself, learning makes me grow and that is exactly how I see life.
Some years back I met a make-up artist, this lady is doing well for herself in this field, I got to know more about her and penetrated my way into her life, and since I have been with her I have gained a lot from her, she has introduced me to another makeup artist in the city and this has helped my skill as a makeup artist to grow, she had also gained from me as well, I thought she knows it all not until the day she called me and asked for my help about makeup, she was stuck and that was when I knew that I also add value to people's life.
Comparison has both positive and negative effects on me but I have learned from it. Stop comparing yourself to others, it is best to ask questions and learn from them, comparing brings bad thoughts.
This is my response to day 13 of #augustinleo daily prompt. If you wish to join the daily prompt then you are at the right place, click this link
