Comparison is dangerous – especially in the social-media obsessed world we live in today. It’s so easy to find a blog or instagram account and instantly start comparing your (real) life to someone else’s highlight reel. They say comparison is the thief of joy, & I think we’ve all been there and experienced those feelings at some point. Most people don’t want to admit it (and some may not even realize they do it), but lately I’ve been thinking about comparison and how to overcome it. I think the more confident & happy you are, the less you will compare yourself to other people (also, you will care less about what other people think of you, which is so freeing). Here are my five tips for overcoming comparison: 

1. Realize her/his success is not your failure. This is especially true in blogging (or any career, really!). Once you accept that there’s enough room for everyone to be successful, you’ll stop feeling so competitive and start celebrating the success of others. If your friend gets a promotion, be excited for her! The energy you give is the energy you will receive. 

2. Surround yourself with successful people & learn from them. These people are going to inspire and motivate you, and will often have great advice. Most successful people understand there’s no need to be competitive, and want to help others become successful too. We are all influenced by the people we surround ourselves with (whether or not we want to admit that), so be mindful of those in your inner circle & cut out any negative relationships – it’s not only worth it, it’s necessary for your own happiness! Misery loves company. 

3. Recognize what you already have. Instead of focusing on others and what you don’t have, write down all the things in your life that you’re thankful for. Once you start appreciating the things you already have, you’ll focus less on the things you think you need to be happy/fulfilled. 

4. Create your own happiness. It’s not up to other people to make you happy, it’s up to you. Happy people are often criticized, but it’s usually the people who are doing the criticizing that are unhappy with themselves. “What Susie says of Sally says more of Susie than Sally.” So true! This goes with #2 – if you surround yourself with happy people, you’ll find it much easier to be happy! 

5. The only person you should try to be better than is who you were yesterday. I saw this on Pinterest last night, and I think it’s such great advice! You’re never going to be someone else, so focus on improving yourself. This will allow you to feel more confident & be proud of your own accomplishments instead of comparing them to other people’s success. 

skirt (wearing xs) | top (also love this one) | sandals – under $100 | bag | sunglasses (also love this pair under $100) | lipstick (only $5, shade is matte naked) | white nail polish