Comparison is the thief of joy

The only tattoo I'd consider getting is this one sentence on my forearm so I'd be reminded of it every day:

Comparison is the thief of joy.

I've struggled with trying to measure up since I was a kid. It's a tangled web of insecurity and envy that can plague my thinking if I'm not careful.

As I've developed an awareness around my tendency to become trapped in comparison, I've implemented three things in my life to help combat it. Because the truth is, my life is wonderful. Yet I can easily lose sight of this if I'm not bringing myself back to a place of awareness.

Here are three things that have helped me avoid the trap of comparison:

Create my own definition of success. Success isn't one-size-fits-all. We all have different goals and dreams. If I don't define what success looks like for my life I can get caught up into living by someone else's definition of success. Here are a few tips I put together to help you create your own definition.

Limit my social media consumption. Social media is an incredible tool for learning & making connections. But it's also a huge source of envy and unhealthy comparison. I recognized a pattern of these feelings coming up when looking at Facebook & Instagram so I removed them from my phone.

Instead of using social media to consume I now use it to contribute.

Go for a walk or run every day. I'm fortunate to live in a place where I can be alone in the forest within a five minute walk from my house. There's some magic that happens during my daily time in the forest. My mind and body recalibrate and I experience gratitude for my health and my surroundings.

I don't think my tendency to play the comparison game is going away. But through awareness and intention I can limit its ability to steal the joy from my life.