We are constantly comparing ourselves to others, causing feelings of envy, inadequacy, unhappiness and overall dissatisfaction with our own lives. For most of us, comparison stops at those feelings. The good thing is.. we can go beyond those feelings and use comparison as a tool for growth and inspiration as opposed to a source of inadequacy.
With the mass use of social media, comparison has been magnified beyond anything our parents (and great great great great^ infinity grand parents) have known. (The ^ means ‘to the power of’. Ok. Thanks. Bye.) In the age of social media, instant everything and so-called smart phones, we have not become smarter and more connected, but rather dumber and lonelier than ever before.
Now, we no longer compare ourselves to those in our immediate circle, family, friends and the Joneses new door; with social media, we compare ourselves to people thousands of miles away and not just regular people, but celebrities, movie stars, singers, athletes and models and an insta-perfect fake and filtered lifestyle, where everyone is happy, eating at the most lavish restaurants, wearing the most elegant clothing, has a hot physique/partner, traveling to the most exotic places and so on. The Joneses are no longer next door or in our neighborhoods. They are everywhere around us (and beyond).
Why do we compare ourselves to others and why should we stop? Can we use comparison as a positive tool for self-change as opposed to only a source of insufficiency? YES! This is what we look at in today’s Samotivation episode.