Six Things That Helped Me Live A Happier Life
When I was younger, I never really cared what everyone else was doing. I had my own agenda, I did whatever I wanted without being afraid of what others thought of me (well, aside from my parents, duh). I never even dared compare myself to someone else, let alone allow their actions to affect my life. But once I grew up, I found myself losing sight of the girl who once believed that she could begin her own business or write a novel, and became friendly, almost too friendly with the girl who was looking at others’ lives, comparing. I was stuck. Really stuck. I knew then that I needed to make a change.
I decided that instead of waiting for someone to fix my problems, I found the strength to learn to love my life again. While this wasn’t (and still isn’t) an overnight success, here are a few ways that have helped me stop comparing myself to others and learn to enjoy my life.
Love yourself again
Sometimes people compare themselves to others because they lose sight of who they are and what they want out of life. They no longer trust the path they’re on. However, having a healthy relationship with yourself will deter all these negative thoughts. When you learn to love yourself again, you begin to realize your self-worth and everything you have to offer to the world.
You have a choice
When you look at someone’s accomplishments, it can be easy to get upset. Especially when you feel like you have been working so hard to achieve your dreams. Believe me, I KNOW. But remember: That person made a lot of choices to get to where they are. Don’t let your thoughts or comparisons paralyze you from creating the life you want. You have so much to offer to this world. Don't silence your talents, hopes and dreams.
What are your goals?
One good thing that comes out of comparing yourself to other people is gaining the new perspective that you want something more for your life. But instead of just wishing for your life to change, it’s best to take a step back and ask yourself what truly are your goals? Yes, you may want to live this other life, but figure how you can achieve it.
Celebrate your uniqueness
Loving yourself shouldn't be a one time thing. It’s something you should practice every day. Don’t be afraid to embrace your quirks or differences. You’re meant to find your voice and share your gifts and talents with others. Just because someone does something one way doesn’t mean you're lame or anything of that sort. Everyone has their own path and the last thing you want to do is stay in the shadow of another.
Be OK with your imperfections
Let’s be real: It’s perfectly OK to be imperfect. It's okay to fail and then get back up again. This will help you grow and allow you to become comfortable with the idea of not succeeding. And just because someone else seems like they have their stuff together, well, yeah, they may not.
Learn to celebrate others
"When you learn to celebrate others’ accomplishments, you’ll genuinely be happier with your own life." I can't express enough how true this is! We’re meant to encourage others and shower each other with love. We’re faced with challenges on the daily and it’s our responsibility to celebrate others good work when it arises, whether it’s our success or not. Enjoying and celebrating the life of another is the best way to enjoy your own life, and a step to stop feeling jealousy.
Have you ever felt like you were constantly comparing yourself to other people? Trust me, you are not the only one!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Laura is the writer of Sweetest Journey Blog. She is a lover of all things good for the mind, body and soul. Laura’s mission with this blog is to inspire as many people as possible with real, raw, positive content. To keep up with Laura you can follow her on Instagram @laurapjanis and her website www.sweetestjourney.com
