BEYOND THE BLOG : How to WIN at COMPARISON....
- Anna Ryan
- Dec 5, 2023
- 2 min read
"A flower does not think of competing with the flower next to it. It just blooms" Zen Shin
WE sometimes find ourselves comparing our lives to the strangest people - people we don't even know, or maybe know of, or used to know at some stage in our lives.
People who have a completely different back ground, or body type, or stage of life to us.
WE don't know the full life story behind anyones life - you only know someone as well as they are willing to disclose.
As much as within your capacity, it is useful to objectively observe that everyone is not winning it in all areas of their life.
And their "wins" have possibly been the main and only FOCUS to the
DETRIMENT of other areas of their lives.
WE are looking at a very thin slice of someone’s life - the best part or the part that’s highlight reeled and super filtered.
WE have no idea what their life is like as a totality - the price people pay to be the person we admire.
Elon Musk has said "my mind is a storm - I don’t think most people would want to be me" - that is the price that he pays.
For every inspiring person we meet there is cost and sacrifice.
I think that is relatable for everyone - we all make trade offs to achieve different things in our lives.
SO HOW CAN WE WIN AT COMPARISON?
"Compare yourself to who you were yesterday not to who someone else is today. Because you have your own set of talents & limitations of tragedies & opportunities unique to you.
You don’t know what opportunities others may have been blessed with.
So it’s never a comparison on the same dimensions" Jordan Petersen
Comparison becomes the thief of joy when it turns to envy.
If you are finding yourself comparing, then seek to pin point what it is specifically about that person - that you actually find inspirational - although your initial reaction might be to feel intimidated - if you dig a little deeper you may find an actionable, direct quality that you can grow in and actualise.
So how does this fit into a fitness based Blog?
WELL..... from the perspective of avoiding at all cost in comparing yourself to fitness influencers & fitness professionals (particularly those you only see on social media) who live and breath movement, whose physiques are their livelihood - their business card arguably. Whose images are at times heavily edited, professionally shot, taken in one large sitting after an extreme dieting stint, camera angles, lighting, posing, body makeup.........shall I continue?
According to Dr Tracy Vaillancourt , "mental health outcomes have declined significantly over the last 15 years" - and the timeline of social media infiltrating every aspect of our lives certainly lines up to that timeframe.
"I keep my social comparisons low to keep my mental health strong"
Dr Tracy Vaillancourt - on Social Media
I really think Dr Tracy is certainly onto something there and again this is a big topic that I am certain to revisit.
Till the next Blog
xo Anna
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