Comparison is the thief of JOY!

 I  can't express how important it is to be thankful for the things that you have right now; in this very moment.

 Expressing gratitude is a requirement in life as far as I am concerned. The older I get the more I understand the importance of the concept. 

With that being said, it is equally important to "give yourself credit" for the progress that you've made both silently and aloud, THUSFAR!

 I for one am always looking forward to accomplishing the next task or tackling the next goal; thus oftentimes forgetting to appreciate the beauty in THE MOMENT! 

I couldn't see nor count my own blessings because there was always "something else" that I had to get done, something was always somehow NEVER GOOD ENOUGH.

 But looking back, I only felt that way because I was too consumed with comparing my achievements and my accomplishments with that of those around me. 

THANK GOODNESS FOR CHANGE!

A few years ago, I realized how I allowed Facebook to have a negative influence on my own PERSONAL  growth and development.

 I would be thoroughly pleased with myself about something that I had done - RIGHT UP UNTIL I'D LOGIN INTO social media and compare my life to someone else's. 

"Comparison is the THEIF OF JOY." 

I've always been a bit more comfortable giving advice than taking my own! But a good friend of mine told me, "just take a break from social media and get back to you." 

-Whatever that meant... 

Needless to say, I deactivated my social media accounts for a while. 

I sat down one night and jotted down everything that I love about myself that wasn't a physical characteristic or a materialistic memento that added to my identity. 

I also made a list of things that subconsciously make me compare my life, my works, my goals, accomplishments and even my failures to those of anyone else. 

I had to remind myself that everyone's beginning is unique, as is their journey and their overall ending!

I HAD TO TELL MYELF, "MY LIFE DOESN'T LOOK LIKE THEIRS* BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT GOING THE PLACES THAT I'M GOING! AND THEIR LIFE DOESN'T LOOK LIKE MINE FOR THAT EXACT SAME REASON!

One of my all-time favorite quotes is: "I wouldn't take nothing for my journey" And it's true, I wouldn't! 

The amount of strength, love, WISDOM, courage and knowledge that I have acquired over the course of my thirty years of living, is absolutely PRICELESS! 

That "comparison list" was the beginning of me learning to genuinely love and nurture myself.

 I came to the realization that there is NO ONE in this world exactly like me! 

It made me realize that the most BEAUTIFUL things about me can't be seen with the naked eye; yet the physical beauty that I do possess only adds to the unseen beauty that lies within me. 

There are physical characteristics about myself that I have grown to love as well! Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. 

That list made me realize that I have EVERYTHING that I need WITHIN myself. And that the BEST THINGS about me; no man or woman can take away from me! 

I am STRONG aside from anything else and I didn't always feel that way! 

OWN YOUR STRENGTH!

Don't allow people to make you feel like you're not doing enough! What's progress to one person make seem like nothing to another. BE PROUD OF YOURSELF WITHOUT FEELING THE NEED TO COMPARE YOURSELF TO ANYONE FOR ANY REASON! 

 Don't allow yourself social media, friends, family or anything make you feel as if you're progression isn't enough!

The truth is is that, everyone has a chapter in his or her story that they don't read aloud. And PEOPLE SHOW WHAT THEY CHOOSE TO SHOW IN REALITY AND VIA SOCIAL MEDIA!

So why envy someone's entire life and lifestyle? 

WINS are generally always a little louder than LOSSES..(don't forget that)!

We are all unique in our way! 

No-one has a perfect life and no-one ever will!

As cliché' as it may sound, It's COMPETLEY up to us to create the life that we WANT! 

Change your perception and CHANGE YOUR LIFE!

-SDP