Compare Leads to Despair

I've noticed recently that more and more of my clients seem to be comparing themselves to others these days. My motto in that department is "compare leads to despair." Since you never truly know anyone's story but your own, focusing on yourself, your achievements, and your own battles is the best way to go.

Last week I went for a 4 mile run in the park. It was a beautiful day but a little hot. Knowing that that I can get tired quickly in the heat, I paced my run accordingly. As I ran, people were passing me left and right and I started to question my running abilities. "Maybe I set my pace too slow? Or maybe I'm just not as in shape as I think I am?" were a couple of questions that ran through my head as people breezed by. Then it hit me: I needed to stop comparing myself. In that moment, I remembered what usually happens when it seems as if I'm the slowest runner in the world: I see people sprinting by me and no more than a minute later, I'm the one passing them as they are hunched over, gasping for air in their overzealous attempt to run the fastest possible. After having this thought, almost as if on cue, my realization was confirmed when I saw the people that passed me either walking or stopping at the water fountain as I continued on.

The moral of this story is to try your best to keep on keepin' on in your own life at your own pace. You really don't know what anyone else's story is but your own. You could covet your co-worker's body when you don't know what it took for he/she to get there...Perhaps it's genetic. Maybe it's a ton of sacrifice you aren't willing to make. Or who knows? Maybe they are surgically enhanced! Bottom line, work your best at being your personal best. By focusing on your own life improvements, you can only go up from here. Be well!