Want to know more about how to stop comparing your life to others? Here are 5 tips that I use myself to stop comparing my life to other people’s lives.
Something I have been struggling with lately is that I am comparing my life to the life of others.. sometimes I feel like I am an alien in this society because I have chosen the sober lifestyle. The summer is about to start and it just seems like everyone is celebrating with alcohol.
In this blogpost I want to dive deeper into how to stop comparing yourself to others. How to keep the focus on your own reality and life and to enjoy it while it’s happening.
Limit Social Media
Have you ever noticed while scrolling through Instagram stories, it seems like everyone else is living an amazing life—attending parties, hanging out on terraces with friends, going to festivals, and so on? Remember, appearances on social media platforms can be deceiving. People only share their best moments, which often don’t reflect reality. Also, a photo or Instagram story can’t reveal how someone truly feels. Someones content often doesn’t provide a complete or accurate picture of someone’s life. It’s important to remember this and approach social media with a critical mindset, recognizing that it shows only a fragment of reality.
I decided to quit social media entirely two years ago, deleting all my accounts. And as you might expect, it has been the best decision ever. I no longer feel the urge to compare myself to others (even if you think you are not doing it, you are unconciously. Bonus point: if I am not aware of people going to a festival on saturday while I am having my self care day, there is nothing to compare my life to!
I understand that deleting all your social media accounts might feel overwhelming right now. Instead, try deactivating your accounts for a while or simply delete the apps from your phone. Give it a shot for a week and see how you feel. You might think you’re missing out on a lot, but trust me, you’re not. The only thing you are missing is your own life, because while you’re watching others live theirs, your own life is passing you by.
Nothing is what it seems.
Consider what sobriety brings you
Instead of concentrating on what sober living “takes away” from you, focus on all the benefits it brings. For me, it has brought the following, amongst other things:
- I wake up every morning feeling fresh and fruity; I don’t suffer from hangover;
- I have energy to do things;
- I take good care of my body, do not fill myself with poison;
- I get up in the morning and feel no guilt or shame, I can actually remember what I did the day before;
- I am kind to my bank account.
Create a fun and exciting life
When I was still in active addiction, life was mostly focused on activities that involved alcohol. Or I was recovering from a heave binge. It took me a while to realize it, but I can do so many more things now that I am sober. However, it is up to me to start undertaking these things; it does not happen by itself.
It’s understandable that you will feel jealous of others’ lives when you’re just sitting on the couch 80% of the time doing nothing. That wouldn’t make me happy either.
So, go and try things that seem fun to you! Not everything you try will be amazing, but you’ll never know unless you give it a shot. By exploring different activities, you’ll discover what you truly enjoy. So far, I’ve tried Spanish courses, blogging, various workouts, creating new Spotify playlists, walking in nature, exploring my country, golfing, and taking piano lessons. The possibilities are endless.
You are living NOW and life has so much fun to offer. Create a life that energizes and makes you excited, one you wouldn’t trade for anything.
Celebrate others
Yep, celebrate others. Be happy for other people instead of practicing jealousy. Did you know that jealousy is one of the emotions with the lowest vibrational frequency? Jealousy is often associated with feelings of insecurity, lack, and negativity, which are thought to lower your overall vibrational state. Being in a low vibrational state means attracting low vibrational events, which we certainly want to avoid.
So, is your friend going to this festival and are you experiencing FOMO? Be happy for him or her and wish them lots of fun!
