Recently I read a quote which said, instead of seeing the greener grass on the other side, concentrate on making your grass green. Easier said than done! Our mind always has a way of pointing out people who seem to be doing better….and thanks to social media and frequent status updates, it’s easy to see the greener side of everyones fence- Abike just got engaged, Chibuzo’s husband just bought a new house in Ikoyi, Chinwe got a promotion and a fat salary increase, Obi is on holiday in Paris with her new boo…the list is endless! Yes, most times we try to be happy for them but if we are honest, It’s hard not to feel a twinge of envy. The problem with envy, is that most times it spirals out of control and leads to self-pity, depression and deep seated resentment, if not checked.
Personally, I have learnt that the trick to preventing self comparison is to concentrate on yourself- striving to be a better version of who you are. Here’s a list of quotes compiled by Shannan Rouss of glo.com which should help you avoid the slippery slope of comparison.
Think It Over
Another way to say this? Worry about yourself. If you take a long, hard look at what someone else has, chances are you might realize it’s not really what you’d want after all- expect maybe that pay increase!
“A lot of people get so hung up about what they don’t have they don’t think for a second about whether they really want it”- Lionel Shriver
Run With It
Instead of competing against others, try competing against yourself—against what you know you’re capable of accomplishing when you’re at your best. That should give you more than enough to strive for
“Don’t waste your time in the race looking back to see where the other guy is or what the other guy is doing. It not about the other guy. It’s about what can you do- Oprah Winfrey
Back to Work
And speaking of competition… if ever there was a place where the credit-takers take credit, it’s on Facebook. Leave them to their self-congratulatory posts. There are plenty of more interesting things to do with your time.
“There are two kinds of people, those who do the work and those who take the credit, try to be in the first group, there is less competition there”- Indira Gandhi
Why Worry?
Shocking, we know, but apparently other people are too preoccupied with themselves to be monitoring our every move—which is sort of liberating
“You wouldn’t worry so much about what others think of you, if you realise how seldom they do”- Eleanor Roosevelt
Start Here
Comparing yourself—in moderation and with a whole lot of perspective—is actually ok. Just use it to motivate yourself to get to where you want to go
“Every intention, every achievement has come out of dissatisfaction not serenity. No one ever said, things are perfect, let’s invent fire.”- Fran Lebowitz.
Good for You
When has Dr. Suess ever been wrong?
“Today, you are you. That is truer than true. There is no one alive who is youer than you”- Dr. Suess
Odd Doings
Don’t compare—instead, contrast. Look for ways to be different. It’s a lot more fun
“Where’s your will to be weird”- Jim Morrison
Simply Stated
Well, that pretty much sums it up
“Comparison is the death of joy”.- Mark Twain
This article was originally published on glo.com by Shannan Rouss
Leave a Reply