Death By Comparison

One of the biggest downfalls of human nature is comparison. We look at others and see things that we lust for and want as opposed to appreciating the things we have and have earned through our very own trials and tribulations.

We are all people united by similar genetic makeup yet we are all incredible different. We all have grown in different soils, faced different conditions and thrived no matter our environment. For some we may not have had the fertilizer and the attention others did, we may have grown in coarse dirt with little sunlight but somehow we still prevailed and that is the point.

Some of us were not born into privilege, we did not have Christmas presents overflowing from the base of a fresh evergreen. Some people do not go home every night to be with a spouse that supports them and makes them dinner. Some of us did not come up even having dinner every night- but it is still okay.

The experiences that you have endured up until this very moment in time have shaped you into the person you are today. So when you watch someone on social media and think- wow, she is so much better than me, or he looks so much bigger than me- just stop. The person you are idolizing did not come from the same soil you did. The person you are comparing yourself to likely does not have the same goals and aspirations as you. Their path is completely separate than yours and leads to an entirely different end destination.

We all have a path in which we have trod our entire life. While you may cross with other people’s along the way- do not try to jump paths. Theirs is no better than yours it is only different from yours. Their grass may appear greener now- but that only means you should water yours more often. With each experience and encounter you have had across your journey- it has directed your path towards your end destination. There is no need to compare something that is uniquely exclusive to each individual person- because there is no basis of comparison.

I am sure the person you compare yourself to has more often than not wished they were someone else. They have wished for a different body type or different strengths but nobody ever sees other people’s behind the scenes. They only see the highlight reel. Never compare your backstage to someone else’s Hollywood performance. That is comparing apples to oranges and there is simply no point.

No matter the soil, or the environment- each person will grow and contribute their own unique presence to the beautiful garden of life. Embrace who you are and what has brought you where you are today. And who is to say that lilacs are prettier than marigolds?