What is it you see when you look in the mirror?  Do you feel good about him/her?

I’d like to start off by emphasizing that every one of us is a wonderful testament to possibility.  We all have talents unique to ourselves, a personality that sets us apart from everyone else and a beautiful inner being with unlimited capacity for our own special lifetime.

You might immediately jump to disagree with this.  I know because I’ve done it myself over and over again.  “I’m too short.  Look at this hair.  Ugh, I wish I got braces when I was a kid.”

But I’d like you to stop and think about something for a moment.  When you’re looking in the mirror getting down on yourself, who is it you are comparing yourself with?  I’m mean, let’s talk about  Photoshop!!!  It’s everywhere.  Even the most beautiful models on television, in magazines, and all over the internet, have been re-touched.  Not even those women can live up to the expectation of our culture!

I’ll tell you a little story.  Several years ago I was feeling really down on myself.  So one afternoon I was  hanging out with my best friend who just happens to be 5’8” and about 135 pounds.  Well, I’m nowhere near 5’8” and I’m not 135 pounds and I tend to be even more aware of that when she’s around.  And she’s my best friend!  Anyway, we were having a great time reading and sharing what we came across.  Then it happened.  On the page in front of me I saw a quote by Teddy Roosevelt and it said, “Comparison is the thief of joy”.  It hit me like a hammer right to the gut because I realized that that was exactly what I was doing.  Instead of being grateful for the very healthy and strong body I am blessed with, I was comparing myself to my girlfriend’s long lean physique.  I knew I didn’t want to forget it so I grabbed a 3” x 5” card and wrote it down.

“Comparison is the thief of joy.”

I took the card and dropped it on the kitchen counter near the phone where I knew I’d see it every day.   And you know what?  In a perfect world, I would have remembered it and lived happily ever after.  But, this isn’t a perfect world and as humans, we are not perfect creatures.  There are lots of days that I still have to remind myself.

So your tip for today is to grab a 3”x5” card or a piece of paper or even your phone if you look at your notes on a regular basis.  Write it down or type it up but please be sure to post it on your wall.  Let it become a habit to repeat it to yourself when you find yourself in a situation that is making you uncomfortable.

We’d love to hear your stories of comparison making you feel uncomfortable.  Send us an email to [email protected]!