3 Ways to Battle Comparison in Your Friendships That Actually Work
“She has everything and looks so happy,” I thought to myself as I scrolled through Instagram at 3 a.m. My newborn daughter was up for yet another feeding, and instead of being present with her in the dark hours of the morning, I’d gotten sucked into the trap of comparison.
As I flipped past square after colorful square, I spiraled further and further down. Projects that friends were launching into the world seemed effortless and chic in comparison to my hard work and seemingly small results. I questioned my interests, drive and talents.
By the time my daughter finished up her bottle and was drowsily resting in my arms, I had picked apart everything from the way I decorate my home (too drab) to my interior life (not inspiring enough). I went to bed restless and dejected. But worst of all, I was questioning my core identity as a beloved daughter of God, buying into a lie straight from the mouth of the devil that I wasn’t enough.
The temptation to compare is something that I’ve fought for years, and I’m confident that I’m not alone in that struggle. Whether it’s the women at the gym, at work, in your family or simply on a screen through social media, so many of us have at one point or another questioned our self-worth in comparison to those around us.
If you have ever caught yourself benchmarking your wardrobe, your shape, your crosses, your strengths, your family or (let’s be honest) your entire life to the women around you, here are a few things that have helped me fight and reject the culture of comparison in my life.