Comparing ourselves to others is something that almost all of us are guilty of. It’s a behaviour that manifests at an early age, continuing into adulthood.
While comparing ourselves to others can sometimes be helpful, such as giving us inspiration or motivation to be better versions of ourselves, or making us grateful for what we’ve got, in many cases, it can have a negative impact on our lives.
When the grass seems greener on the other side, it can impact our self-esteem, self-confidence and mental health. Comparing ourselves to others who are better looking and slimmer can exacerbate body image issues while comparing the quantity and quality of friendships with others can impact relationship issues.
Comparing every aspect of our lives is now much easier than ever before, thanks to the rise of social media – and in most cases the comparisons we make are unfavourable. Women are influenced more than men. According to Today, a 88% of females compare themselves to media images, compared to 65% of men.
Breaking the cycle of social comparison isn’t easy, but by gaining a greater understanding of it, we can help to lead better, more fulfilled lives and safeguard our mental health.
Nobody is perfect
When comparing yourself to others, it’s important to remember that we might only be seeing a filtered, snapshot of the best bits of someone’s life. Everyone experiences problems and challenges, and nobody is perfect.
The truth is, there’s always going to be someone better than you at something, so instead of pinpointing your weaknesses and what you haven’t got, recognise your strengths, talents and positive points. Rewire your brain to focus on the good aspects of your life and make a note of them each day. Live a life that is authentic to you, without projecting someone else’s existence onto yours.
Make positive changes
Social comparison tends to have a more negative impact on our mental health when we feel unhappy about certain aspects of our lives, so next time you start comparing yourself to others, think about which aspects of someone else’s life you hanker after. Identify something specific, rather than a vague notion, which you can turn into a realistically achievable goal through easy actionable lifestyle changes.
Therapy can also help to change your mindset, so get in touch if you’d like help to tackle this issue.
