Life isn’t always smooth or easy. This makes perfect sense, after all, life doesn’t come with an instruction manual and most of our lessons have to be figured out in reverse. As we stumble about our own individual paths trying to figure it all out it's difficult not to look to others and measure ourselves against them.
The Comparison Trap
Comparing ourselves to others is a very seductive trap. If we need a temporary psychological boost we often compare our lives to someone we already feel superior to. Once we open the door for this kind of judgement we begin to also measure our lives against those who appear better than us. Assuming anyone else’s lawn is a more perfect shade of green is a very slippery slope that leads only to misery and low self-esteem.
The truth is we have no idea the struggles that other people are going through. We have no real way of measuring another person’s true happiness. People often purposely project false impressions of themselves...humans are extremely complicated. The only person in this entire world we can possibly know with one hundred percent accuracy is ourselves. Each of us have unique gifts just waiting to be uncovered.
“Stop thinking you’re doing it all wrong. Your path doesn’t look like anybody else’s because it can’t, it shouldn’t, and it won’t.” ― Eleanor Brownn
Do You
There is a way to use comparison to your evolutionary advantage. There’s only one person you should be comparing yourself to on a daily basis. Make a habit of honestly comparing yourself to the person you were yesterday. Do you feel good about the face you see in the mirror this morning? If not, it’s okay, just make a daily effort to like that reflection a little bit more tomorrow.
Looking back across my forty-seven years on the planet I see that the things that sparked the biggest evolutionary changes in my own life weren’t Earth shattering epiphanies, they always involved a series of small (and usually boring) methodical steps. Strive each day to be a better person than you were yesterday in some way and this will bring about substantive change.
“Comparison with myself brings improvement, comparison with others brings discontent.” ― Betty Jamie Chung
Reclaim Your Power
People in the marketing biz figured out a way to exploit people who compare themselves to others a long time ago. They follow a simple but effective formula, it goes like this...make people feel inherently flawed or incomplete then they will strive to fill that void with the junk that corporations shill (material things.)
This sales tactic has created far reaching consequences for both our species and the planet we all share. The key to making this work is low self-esteem without it our unsustainable capitalistic cycle of buying things in an effort to make ourselves happy could no longer exist.
Homework
I always like to close these meditation posts with actionable steps so here are a few very simple ways to reclaim our power. A great first step is to stop watching network television. It’s almost unbelievable how this one simple change can shift your perspective. In fact, the more ways you can distance yourself from pop culture the better.
Secondly, each and every day find one thing you absolutely love your life. This one joy-inducing thing could be a personality trait, a physical feature of your body, or even a possession you own.
Whatever this thing is make a declaration to the universe, I’m perfectly satisfied and happy with [insert whatever that one thing is here].
It can seem counter intuitive but to express gratitude for what you already have can open channels of greater abundance. If you do this simple exercise each day it begins reframe how you see yourself and your life. You will begin to realize how extremely lucky, talented, and unique you really are.
It’s important to remember that there isn’t a person on Earth who is born incomplete, there are merely people who haven’t reached their potential. Make it your ultimate mission in life to discover your own unique greatness and you'll naturally become a beacon that will motivate others to do the same.
Past Meditation Posts: Episode 1. - Episode 2.
As always, I am thankful for your tremendous support.
Yours in the Chain,
Eric
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*I am an American novelist, poet, traveler, and crypto-enthusiast. If you’ve enjoyed my work please sign up for my author newsletter at my website. Newsletter subscribers will receive exclusive updates and special offers and your information will never be sold or shared.
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