So often, I find myself looking at what I am not. I am not outgoing, I am not relaxed, I am not always confident, I am not as skinny as I once was.... But there is a real danger in comparison. In my experience, comparison does three things.
Comparison is an identity thief
Comparison causes you to look at what everyone else is and miss who you are. All of us have a unique identity, a unique sense of who we are supposed to be, and when we start focusing on what we aren't in light of what others are, we start to forget the remarkably unrepeatable creatures that we are.
Comparison is a joy thief
Theodore Roosevelt said it first, comparison will steal your joy. There is a joy that comes each time you have a personal triumph, overcome a fear or step out more into who you were called to be. There is joy that comes in being completely and wholly yourself. Without that, when lining yourself up ext to someone you're not, there is only frustration, insecurity and a sense of inferiority.
Comparison is a credit stealer
When we compare ourselves to others, we are stealing the credit from the very one who created us. God made us unique, and there are thousands of little things that make you "you." When we look to everyone else for who we should be, we lose sight of who we are, and that is who we should be.
There is something amazing about when you meet a person who seems to truly shine as themselves. They seem authentic, exciting and radiate this sense of pure (real, not false) confidence. I have had brief moments of this, brief times of feeling true to myself and absolutely 100% me. Looking to the One that created me, and thriving in the life He has given me is the only way I know to find those moments. So don't look at others, don't look for flaws, look to the creator and enjoy who He created you to be.
Images taken from:
http://www.musicianswidow.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/20140310-203156.jpg
http://kingpinlifestyle.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/how-to-stop-comparing-yourself-to-others.jpg
