“Comparison is the thief of joy” – Theodore Roosevelt
I am sure many of us have heard that quote before, and it makes sense to all of us when we read it. Does it help us NOT compare ourselves to others? No…no it doesn’t.
I used this picture of young tween girls because….I mean…isn’t this where comparison begins?? It begins at the tween stage. ::sigh::: I could go on and on here….
Since my mother passed away, I have had to really confront a lot of my natural everyday emotions. She was the one person that I could literally say anything to and not only would she under…but she had a way to advise me without coddling and judgement. It was a delicate balance she walked..and she did it well when I came to her with a vent.
I now know that it is ok to feel angry….sad…envious…jealous…defeated…proud….etc. All of those are emotions that I think are normal, and we should allow ourselves to FEEL them. I embrace all of those things…because I wouldn’t be normal if I didn’t. Now the tricky part is how you channel those emotions. I mean….as much as I love her..Im envious of Beyonce! How did she achieve all that she has? ( those that know me know that I love love Beyonce! )
Comparison isn’t going to stop. You need to figure out WHY you’re comparing…and then channel the energy.
Now here’s the channeling part….
Instead of wondering if she is secretly unhappy, or if she experiences things that I may in my everyday life, I focus on the positive things. What can I learn from her work ethic? Isn’t that one thing that I am envious of? What is she doing and/or providing that keeps millions of people interested, without giving away too much about who she is?
So…yes…I realize I am talking about a music artist…but the thought process is the same! When I think of my work…do I think I can improve? YES! Does that mean I don’t love my work? No way…I do love it. In fact.. AWTeaches ( and more importantly…the VP Box) was created because I realized that I am on a constant journey of improvement and change. I wanted to bring those that follow me into my mindset as I am always looking to improve…regardless of how good I may be doing at the time.
I realized that I have some photographer friends that I adore who are KILLING it both artistically and professionally, that have work that I would never created. I love to look at it…but is my mind ready to create that work? No. Are they more successful than me? Based on my personal business goals…some are. Are they more successful because of their work?
NO. That was such a huge eye opener for me. I love their work…but everything I love…doesn’t mean I should create it.
So this turned into a ramble as usual. I have a photo session shortly and I need to get on the road soon. However, comparing for the sake of comparing doesn’t produce a goal for you. Figure out WHY you’re comparing yourself, and tackle the “why’s” one by one.
– Do you feel you need to improve your creativity?
– Do you lack a plan?
– Are you just bottling a lot inside and it is just preventing you from moving forward?
Sometimes I feel like I am talking to air when I ramble…but…its a bit therapeutic for me..so I am going to keep at it! 🙂
Enjoy your weekend al!!
(Ignore the typos and grammar. This post was written from the heart…not perfection)
