"Comparison is the thief of Joy" is a quote that has been engrained in my head by my mother from a very small age. Think about it; we have been comparing ourselves to one another ever since I can remember.
Let's rewind in time to kindergarten, first day of school, lunchtime. As we are sitting around the table, girls and boys separated from one another, I can't help but stare at everyone else's more colorful lunchboxes, cleaner cut sandwiches and more extravagant sweets than what lie in my lunchbox. Why has this always been a point of jealousy? We all were fed, but what was in your lunchbox spoke volumes to the table of giggling girls.
Or, remember in middle school gym class when all the girls had to change in front of one another in the girl's locker room. I will never forget how the heavy set girl would go into the bathroom stall instead of parading around in her bra and underwear like the rest of us. Why as women do we put so much pressure on one another?
There is constantly an element of comparison in each and everything we do.
In our world of twitter and instagram, we are each trying to make others believe we are doing it right. We are having the most fun on a Friday night, wearing the cutest clothes and hanging out with the cutest boys. We are trying to show the thousands of acquaintances that follow us on the internet what a fun time we had that night whether we really did or not.
Seek to please yourself.
As I approach the real world come May, I am faced with the unknown. I see girls my age getting engaged, landing incredible jobs and having the next steps of their lives paved for them. I find myself jealous of what they have.
As women, we have to find happiness within ourselves. Seek to do what makes you happy each and every day; stripping your brain of the constant thoughts of what others possess. Flee from comparitive thoughts, if this means deleting your instagram then delete your instagram. Take small steps to make the thief of joy slowly fade away.
Heather Duncan
