I hope you don't say no, because I think everyone does, even without thinking about it.
I sure do. But boy, can I think about it.
In one of my family and human development classes, I learned that being able to compare oneself to his/her surrounding peers is actually a milestone of cognitive development.
So, are comparisons good or bad? Well, they can be good when in pursuit of personal progress. For example, we can compare our actions of a previous day, to our actions of now, and what we would like our actions to be like in the future.
However, most of the time, when we compare our self to others, we walk down a sandy hill.
These are the bad comparisons.
When I was in high school, I remember some of my guy friends going off about the hottest and most attractive celebrity women of the time. Women like Carrie Underwood, Emma Watson, Selena Gomez, Miley Cyrus, Taylor Swift, etc. Some of them had pictures of these women as their phone backgrounds, or even binder covers. I remember looking in the mirror and seeing that I would never look like any of these women. Oh my despair! I mean, Miley may have gone off the deep end, and I prefer not to have any association with her, but still... When you are a high school girl, you think that the guys that you go to school with are they guys who will eventually marry you, or at least date you. If that's what they found attractive, I was doomed, because I felt so far from it.
Even when we rid ourselves of Hollywood's fake cover-ups and beauty hacks, we can see the qualities that others appear to have, and feel a bit lacking.
I can honestly say, that college is so much better than both high school and the unpleasant years of middle school, for many a reason. One reason that pertains to this subject is the fact that most girls come to class dressed in sweats, ponytails, little to no makeup, etc. (At least in my classes). Dress to impress when you're barely trying to get by? Ain't nobody got time for that! But in middle school and high school, it seemed like you needed all the time in the world to be attractive in every way. Status, status, status! During those years of your life, it is so hard to not look around and not feel bad about yourself because you don't have the cute new shoes, the voluminous curls, the "perfect" body, the most sparkly eyes, the date every week, the highest grades, the athlete's talent, the popular attention, the life you think you want...
When I compare myself to others, don't I bring myself back to high school, or middle school, again? Don't I take a few steps back?
Personally for me, during some of those years of my life, I didn't know who I was supposed to be. All my life I had sung the words, "I am a child of God", but it took me 16 years of breathing to realize what that meant, how true it was, and how it made me feel.
I am not perfect at all, and I still compare myself to others. Sometimes it is just a small, simple little comparison. But when I start out with the small things, it just grows and grows until it becomes all consuming if I don't take action. When I feel myself grieving over my imperfections compared to the highlights of others, or when I feel like I'll never measure up to someone else's expectations, I have to stop myself. I have to take the time to remember what I know.
I know that I am a child of God. I know that God loves me. I know that I have a divine purpose.
I know that God made me, because he needed ME.
Again, God made ME because he needed and wanted ME.
Maybe God didn't need another Carrie Underwood or Emma Watson. Maybe God didn't need another star athlete or fashionista. Maybe God didn't need a perfectly proportionate body, or a flirtatious personality. Maybe God didn't need another witty mind, or a flawless selfie taker.
Maybe God needed a girl who forgets where she parked the car...a little too often for her own good. A girl that has a slight curve in her spine. A girl that doesn't know how to whistle, and ends up just kissing the atmosphere. A girl that has a colorful collection of cardigans because she gets cold...and she likes them. A girl that is obsessed with special k cereal. A girl who loves to watch old black and white movies. A girl that tends to have a hard time catching on to new board games. A girl that does this weird thing with her lips when she swallows a gulp of water. A girl that gets all excited over Mozart, Chopin, and Vivaldi. A girl that gets a mischievous thrill by ding-dong ditching a plate of cookies. A girl who openly admits to being a bit nerdy.
Because that's what he made in me. And I know that he has purpose for me. I may not always have heaven's eyes to see that specific purpose, but my faith will clear the blur.
God needs me to be me. That doesn't mean that I can never improve myself. This life is all about overcoming and progressing to reach our eternal goals. Each of us can be perfected through Christ. But when it comes to comparing myself, and who I'm seeking to please, it doesn't matter so much what the world wants, what those around me want, or even what I think I want. It matters what God wants. It matters what Christ thinks of me. I want to be beautiful to Him.
Comparing our self to others brings us down. Try to avoid it. I know it can be hard. Oh, how hard it is! But the hard things are what make us stronger.
So the next time you are overwhelmed with the temptation of comparing yourself to others; whether it be a famous celebrity, bodybuilder, athlete, a co-worker, a peer, a friend, a friend of a friend, an acquaintance, or even a stranger, please remember who you are.
You are a child of God. You are a part of his great plan. You have a purpose. God made you, because he needed YOU. Just because someone else is beautiful, it doesn't mean that you aren't. You are beautiful! If you're a guy, you are handsome! You are important. You are special. You are you.
Even when we rid ourselves of Hollywood's fake cover-ups and beauty hacks, we can see the qualities that others appear to have, and feel a bit lacking.
I can honestly say, that college is so much better than both high school and the unpleasant years of middle school, for many a reason. One reason that pertains to this subject is the fact that most girls come to class dressed in sweats, ponytails, little to no makeup, etc. (At least in my classes). Dress to impress when you're barely trying to get by? Ain't nobody got time for that! But in middle school and high school, it seemed like you needed all the time in the world to be attractive in every way. Status, status, status! During those years of your life, it is so hard to not look around and not feel bad about yourself because you don't have the cute new shoes, the voluminous curls, the "perfect" body, the most sparkly eyes, the date every week, the highest grades, the athlete's talent, the popular attention, the life you think you want...
When I compare myself to others, don't I bring myself back to high school, or middle school, again? Don't I take a few steps back?
Personally for me, during some of those years of my life, I didn't know who I was supposed to be. All my life I had sung the words, "I am a child of God", but it took me 16 years of breathing to realize what that meant, how true it was, and how it made me feel.
I am not perfect at all, and I still compare myself to others. Sometimes it is just a small, simple little comparison. But when I start out with the small things, it just grows and grows until it becomes all consuming if I don't take action. When I feel myself grieving over my imperfections compared to the highlights of others, or when I feel like I'll never measure up to someone else's expectations, I have to stop myself. I have to take the time to remember what I know.
I know that I am a child of God. I know that God loves me. I know that I have a divine purpose.
I know that God made me, because he needed ME.
Again, God made ME because he needed and wanted ME.
Maybe God didn't need another Carrie Underwood or Emma Watson. Maybe God didn't need another star athlete or fashionista. Maybe God didn't need a perfectly proportionate body, or a flirtatious personality. Maybe God didn't need another witty mind, or a flawless selfie taker.
Maybe God needed a girl who forgets where she parked the car...a little too often for her own good. A girl that has a slight curve in her spine. A girl that doesn't know how to whistle, and ends up just kissing the atmosphere. A girl that has a colorful collection of cardigans because she gets cold...and she likes them. A girl that is obsessed with special k cereal. A girl who loves to watch old black and white movies. A girl that tends to have a hard time catching on to new board games. A girl that does this weird thing with her lips when she swallows a gulp of water. A girl that gets all excited over Mozart, Chopin, and Vivaldi. A girl that gets a mischievous thrill by ding-dong ditching a plate of cookies. A girl who openly admits to being a bit nerdy.
Because that's what he made in me. And I know that he has purpose for me. I may not always have heaven's eyes to see that specific purpose, but my faith will clear the blur.
God needs me to be me. That doesn't mean that I can never improve myself. This life is all about overcoming and progressing to reach our eternal goals. Each of us can be perfected through Christ. But when it comes to comparing myself, and who I'm seeking to please, it doesn't matter so much what the world wants, what those around me want, or even what I think I want. It matters what God wants. It matters what Christ thinks of me. I want to be beautiful to Him.
Comparing our self to others brings us down. Try to avoid it. I know it can be hard. Oh, how hard it is! But the hard things are what make us stronger.
So the next time you are overwhelmed with the temptation of comparing yourself to others; whether it be a famous celebrity, bodybuilder, athlete, a co-worker, a peer, a friend, a friend of a friend, an acquaintance, or even a stranger, please remember who you are.
You are a child of God. You are a part of his great plan. You have a purpose. God made you, because he needed YOU. Just because someone else is beautiful, it doesn't mean that you aren't. You are beautiful! If you're a guy, you are handsome! You are important. You are special. You are you.
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