Why is it we see everyone else “perfect,” and we only see
our own faults and shortcomings?
We think everyone else has it all together without any
challenges in their life. We see ourselves, on the other hand, in such a
critical light. Why don’t we have the relationship we think others have? Why
can’t we lose weight? Why can’t we have the same financial freedom? The list
goes on and on.
Instead of looking at all we DO have, we look at all that
we want/don’t have. COMPARING others to ourselves is “deadly.” We are making
comparisons NOT based on any actual facts, only what we “think” are the facts. It
really comes down to our personal level of confidence or self-esteem.
Rather than spending time identifying our own assets, our
own gratitude’s, we allow our focus to be on what we WISH we had. Personally, I
think reality shows and shows like The Bachelor or the Bachelorette paint an unrealistic
picture of life.
Are there any benefits of comparing ourselves to others?
The only thing I can think of is seeing things in a different way that would
motivate me to make a change. There are many stories of people who have come
from unhealthy and unsafe environments who strive to get out and not follow the
same path as other family or friends. We hear stories of men and women, both, who
don’t respect themselves enough to think they deserve better allowing themselves
to be in unhealthy relationships. We hear stories of young people who are in poorly
run schools that want a better education and find a way to get to a better
school for a better education. These are good reasons to compare ourselves to
others.
What’s the common theme for those who have overcome
difficulties? Well-known leaders in
personal development say, “If you want something different in your life, you
have to DO something different.” That means CHANGE. These stories all reflect
a willingness to change and they took ACTION to change. The other common
theme is that these people have confidence
and enough self-esteem to believe
that they DO deserve better, and they take ACTION. The big question is…Are you
living the life that God meant you to live and if not, why not?
Take a minute and think about this. Are you taking care of
yourself physically? Are you taking care of yourself emotionally? Are you taking
care of your finances? Are you taking care of your relationships with a
significant other? Are you taking care of your spiritual life?
When you answer these questions are you thinking about YOU
or are you looking at what you wish was the case? Are you being honest with
yourself or are you avoiding something because it’s too painful or it seems to
be unfixable or it seems to be unattainable?
In The Power of Being Thankful book, I read the
daily entry and I re-read several entries from previous days because the message
is one I need to read continuously as a reminder. I want to share one of these
in hopes it can help you take a step forward to becoming the best YOU that YOU
can be…
April 2nd
Living with Confidence “A person
without confidence is like an
airplane sitting on a runway with empty fuel tanks. The plane has the ability
to fly, but without some fuel, it’s not getting off the tarmac. Confidence is our fuel. Our confidence gets us started and helps us
finish every challenge we tackle in life. Without confidence we will live in fear and never feel fulfilled. Confidence allows us to face life with
boldness, openness, and honesty. It enables us to live without worry and to
feel safe. It enables us to live authentically. “
“When we know who we are in God, we don’t have to pretend
to be somebody we’re not because we are secure in who we are---even if we’re
different from those around us. Confidence
allows us to live peaceful, joy-filled lives.”
Two final questions. One, if you’re not seeing yourself
in a confident way, what are you
going to do to change that? What ACTION are you willing to take? Second,
is your lack of confidence/self-esteem
because you compare yourself to others and don’t really know all YOUR own incredible
talents and assets? What ACTION are you willing to take to make a change?
Book Suggestion: The
Power of Being Thankful by Joyce Meyer
Quote: “Work on being in love with the person in the
mirror who has been through so much but is still standing.”
No comments:
Post a Comment