I recently heard a quote that insanely impacted me and has had the gears in my head turning since: “Admire someone else’s beauty without questioning your own” How powerful is that?! Let’s get real for a sec- we live in a world where everything is subconsciously judged and it’s hard not to internally compare yourself to this person and the next. We are constantly exposed to thousands of highlights in the lives of others; between the outwardly flawless celebrities that we follow on social media, and the “perfect” lifestyles that our own friends seem to maintain, it can be discouraging to find our place in it all. 

This is where purpose comes into play. God has beautifully designed each of us for a unique purpose, and when we spend time fixating on the lives that other people live, or the material possessions that other people have- we are robbing ourselves of the opportunity to fulfill our own unique purpose. Sure, this is an easy concept to understand mentally, but how do we get this from our head to our heart? Honestly, I’m the first one in line asking God why I don’t have this, or that, why I can’t have her hair, or her body- the list of unhealthy self-analysis goes go on and on. Maybe you’ve felt that way before too, so the question is, how do we stop the vicious cycle of comparison?

I of course, do not have the answer to this. However, I have prayed a lot about this topic specifically, and God has revealed many truths in my own heart that might be applicable to you as well. The bottom line, is that we cannot simultaneously feed thoughts of happiness and envy toward someone (as renowned pastor Rick Warren brilliantly says). Those two can’t co-exist no matter how much we lie to ourselves and believe they can. You aren’t genuinely happy for someone when you are deep down wishing you had what they had. But we’re only human, and it’s  natural to desire better for ourselves. Truth be told, those feelings of comparison may never completely go away, but we can choose to perpetuate them, or neglect them. It might be a daily choice, but an intentional choice nonetheless that will become easier with time.

Now we rewind back to the quote that started this whole thing: ‘Admire someone else’s beauty without questioning your own’ –there is so much freedom in knowing the value of your own path and trusting your process. Where you are is exactly where you need to be, and be thankful for the doors that are opening (and closing!) in your life. Trust that God’s timing is perfect, and His plan is bigger than yours. We can genuinely celebrate the blessings in the lives of others when we are content and focused on our own journey. Even though I am 100% assured that God’s will for me is to encourage others through different means (including this blog!), I still have to put it into perspective when those ugly feelings of ‘not good enough’ begin to surface. I have to remind myself that comparison is the thief of joy, and the most unhealthy mentality to have. As Bob Goff says, “We won’t be distracted with comparison if we are captivated with purpose”

I pray that we will all adopt the mindset of being ‘captivated with purpose’ and that we will remember that we all have our own identities, and characteristics that make us special. You were created to be you– not Kim Kardashian (which is probably a blessing!) Embrace your purpose, trust your struggle, and live with intention- we are all in this thing called “life” together and we need each other to make it work.

Thanks for reading and hearing my heart on this! XO