Every one loves a Mean girls quote. Remember this one? "Calling somebody else fat won't make you any skinnier. Calling someone stupid doesn't make you any smarter. And ruining Regina George's life definitely didn't make me any happier. All you can do in life is try to solve the problem in front of you." I've been thinking about this a lot. ( I always have a song or quote stuck in my head. I wrote my Common App on quotes.) Eventually my pondering reminded me of a more eloquent, and more broadly applicable, quote by Teddy Roosevelt. "Comparison is the thief of joy." How true. Our society is set up to make comparisons so easy. We document our most photogenic moments and broadcast them on social media. The intention isn't often to mislead. Yet when all we see are those perfect snippets, our life by comparison seems "less than." I've struggled with this as I've journeyed with blogging. It's easy to compare myself to blogs with more or less readers, to bloggers who are more or less talented. There is absolutely no joy in that way of living. This blog isn't about me. It's about what Christ is doing in and through me. It's an opportunity to share those small epiphanies with others. Honestly, the fact that people care about my opinions and little encouragements continues to humble me. Thank you, thank you, for taking your time to read my musings.
If you follow me on Instagram, you may have seen that I got a free book on typography from a local fair this weekend. As I thought about this post, I knew I wanted to make a graphic to remind myself not to fall into comparisons. This is my first ever iPhone wallpaper! Every time I unlock my phone, I'm reminded not to compare myself to anyone in any aspect of my life. To all you graphic designers, constructive feedback would be great. I don't plan on making a career out of graphics but I do love to dabble. Feel free to pin it or grab it to remind yourself that comparisons are draining. Choose contentment instead.
Today I'm linking up with:
Share the love,
Taylor
in the beginning of blogging i would also feel the same way. i always compared myself to the ones with more readers and always felt like i was coming up way short. it's still a struggle every now and then, but i realized it was taking the fun out of blogging and being me. we all have such beautiful and unique gifts!
ReplyDeleteThat's how I felt too! Blogging is supposed to be fun not super stressful and agonizing.
DeleteLove this. So true. I've struggled with comparisons for quite sometime, but the Lord is teaching me that my only comparison should be towards Christ.
ReplyDeleteAmen, Taylor! The only person I need to become more like is Jesus :)
DeleteI can totally relate. Its something I am struggling with too...as a blogger, but the most important thing is to realize who we are, our purpose in life and working towards achieving that purpose.We are all unique and 'fearfully and wonderfully made' Everyone has a different story to tell. Thanks for the reminder.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad my words were able to encourage you. It's tough being a growing blogger but the growth is the fun of it!
DeleteOh I am with you!! You can totally get lost in the comparing and it will kill you!! I won't lie... I can be totally guilty of this quite often. Thank you for this reminder!! (and thank you for linking up with us for falling for friday!!)
ReplyDeleteI'm so happy to be linking up with you, Dawnelle! Thanks for letting me :) Comparison is a daily struggle but it's so worth the fight to be content.
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