Comparison is the thief of all joy.

Sounds so simple, right?

It is, and at the same time it’s just so hard sometimes.

So why are we constantly comparing ourselves with everyone around us and online?

It’s time to quit the comparison!

I mean this with lots of love but STOP IT! You’ve got to cut it out.

Comparing yourself to anyone else robs you of seeing your own unique features as what they truly are: beautiful. 

We’re so conditioned to compare ourselves to others that it’s become second nature, almost automatic.

The media, and now social media, are in our faces 24/7, making it so hard not to size ourselves up against others. 

We imagine if we just looked like her, or had what she has, then we’d be enough… we’d be happy…

It’s just not true.

Thinking that your life would be better if you were not yourself can just never be true.

The problem with comparison is that sets you up for failure.  100% of the time.

It’s a recipe for disaster.  A never-winning battle.

It will put you on the fast track to feeling miserable and having your self-esteem do a nose-dive. 

How on earth does denying and hating on yourself lead to feeling better?! 

It doesn’t. 

Don’t believe everything you see on social media

You have to remember that most people share their highlight reel on social media.  You don’t see the not-so-pretty parts of life, only the best of the best. 

It’s curated even when it doesn’t look like it is.

It makes zero sense to compare yourself in all your imperfect glory to someone else’s highlight reel. 

Just for a moment, set aside judging yourself. 

Stay with me for a minute! 

Try it. 

What if you looked at yourself not through the lens of comparison, but with a new set of eyes. 

What if you looked at yourself as you are. 

There’s nothing about you that’s “bad” or “ugly” or “less than” or “not enough”.

Without comparison, you can appreciate each and every feature for it’s exquisite design. 

Without comparison, you can enjoy your “quirks” or the things about you that you’d otherwise judge. 

Every part of you is enough. 

You are living, you are breathing, and that makes you enough. 

Take away the judgment and there is love. 

Perfection doesn’t exist…and would be boring anyway.

The honest truth of reality is that we are human and no one is perfect. 

Perfection would be so boring.  Think, robot automatons…

So not as exciting as our own sometimes-messy and always-interesting individual selves. 

We are all just trying to find our way.   

Give yourself a break and embrace the non-comparison way

When you’re not comparing yourself to anyone else, you can be free. 

Free to accept yourself, free to love yourself and you’ll see other people in a more loving way too. 

Still feeling unsure about all this comparison talk?

I will always be a non-judgmental sounding board if you ever have questions or want to chat about this more!  Hit me up, I can talk about this stuff for days! 

Send me a message me at erin@erinvalknerphotography.com.