Be You: Celebrate It

In today's social media era, it's all too common to get caught up in the illusion of self-definition as seen through the eyes of others. We are constantly besieged by the picture of 'success' and 'happiness' images often rooted in validation seeking rather than reality. This endless tide of comparison threatens to create uncertainty and self-questioning, blurring the lines of our true identity.

Rocky terrains of social comparison

Pondering the insightful words of Jay Shetty.

"The more we define ourselves in relation to the people around us, the more lost we are"

Let us venture into the rocky terrains of social comparison, unravelling its grasp to reclaim and celebrate the essence of who we indeed are.

Illusion of social comparison

We live in a society where everyone's life is on show, including their accomplishments, relationships, and lifestyles. It's almost natural to compare ourselves to these meticulously managed personalities. However, this comparison has a double edge. It may inspire us, encouraging us to strive for more. However, it frequently results in emotions of envy, inadequacy and a mistaken sense of self-worth, which can lead to self-loathing.

When we compare our value to that of others, we are building our self-esteem on shaky ground. Someone always has more, performs better, or appears happier. This continual comparison may lead to negative self-talk and unhappiness, blocking us from recognising our individual paths and successes.

Influence of Authenticity

Authenticity is such a powerful thing to embrace. Accepting your strengths and weaknesses and embracing being uniquely you is, at its core, valuable; when you accept and own it, it's hard to lose it. But for some strange reason, people struggle with it. It needs to be about recognising that our worth does not decrease because someone else's appears to increase. To uncover our inner selves, we must go deep into what truly offers us joy, contentment, and passion, a little thing I call 'purpose'. It's something I bang on a lot about on this site. 

Voyage of self-discovery is complex: Confronting our anxieties, insecurities, and the cultural standards that frequently influence our decisions takes guts. However, the payoff is a life filled with meaning, confidence, and tranquillity. When we stop comparing ourselves to others, we can start living for ourselves, choosing decisions that reflect our beliefs and ambitions.

Be You: Breaking Free from Comparison Traps

So, how can we break free from the bonds of social comparison? Listed below are several strategies:

• Own your own goals and assess your success against them, not of others. Celebrate your triumphs and learn from your mistakes.

• Cultivate appreciation. Appreciating what you have rather than obsessing over what you don't help change your mentality from scarcity to abundance.

Limit Your Social Media

Keep track of your time on social media and what material you consume. Remember that what you see is generally a highlight reel, not an individual's entire tale or life journey.

Surround Yourself with Positive Influences:

• Spend time with individuals that lift and motivate you

• Promote your development

• Accept you as you are and celebrate your uniqueness

In other articles, I talk about being the sum of the five closest people. Explore that, and work out if they are the ones you want to be around. 

Celebrate your uniqueness. You have your unique abilities, experiences, and viewpoints. This is what will and does distinguish you from others. Embrace this difference.

Final thoughts

Defining oneself based on others is a way to become lost in life and purpose. It's important to remember that our journey is unique and incomparable. Amid the clamour of comparison and expectations others have of us, we may discover 'us' by focusing on 'self' and accepting our authenticity.

Remember that you should try to be a better person than you were yesterday, then you know you are moving in the right direction.