We become so absorbed in our flaws and faults that we forget that it is better to be a diamond with a flaw than a pebble without.
To have flaws is beauty in itself, a fact so frightening that we hurry to hide them from sight and tarnish the whole in the process
of comparing ourselves to others.
Previously, we have looked at how criticizing ourselves for our lack of great progress can make us feel like giving up altogether.
Today, we will begin discussing how comparing ourselves to others can make us feel much the same way. Of course, we’ll also share some tools we can use to crush this limiting belief. Let’s see how…
It is all too easy and commonplace to compare ourselves to others. We see the success that someone else is having and then compare that to our own levels of success, or lack thereof. We compare our accomplishments to the accomplishments of others. We judge ourselves by what others are achieving. Or, in this age of social media and hype, what they appear to be achieving.
If someone else seems to be accomplishing more than us, it makes us feel like failures.
We feel like we should be accomplishing at least as much, if not more, than others. And so, we feel terrible about ourselves. As if we don’t have much to offer the world. Like a loser, of sorts. But, life is not a contest. We are each an important piece in the grand scheme of life, and we each have unique roles to play in our small or large chunk of the world.
Comparison is the thief of joy.
Theodore Roosevelt
As we compare ourselves to others, we are allowing their achievements to determine how much joy we feel in life. We give others the power to control us and our emotions.
Rewriting The Limiting Belief
Limiting Belief:
● “I compare myself to others.”
Empowering Beliefs:
● “The achievements of others do not determine my value.”
● “I am valuable simply because of who I am.”
● “What matters most is what I achieve, not what others achieve.”
● “I am more than my accomplishments.”
In order for us to rewrite this limiting belief in our minds, it is essential that we understand that the achievements of others do not matter to us. That is not that they aren’t important. But, it is to say that they do not determine our worth, success, or value. Of course, unless we allow that poison to seep into our minds.
No on can make you feel inferior without your permission.
Let that marinate for a while…
Next time we’ll talk about tools to help us put this notion to rest.
Chat soon.
