(In case you missed previous posts, catch up here: Part 1: Energy Management, Part 2: Technology Detox, Part 3: Practice Fabulous Self-Care, and Part 4: Drink More Water)
Well, here we are at the end of our June Wellness Wednesday series! I can’t believe that this is my fifth and final post in this series and I also can’t believe that this means we’re on the cusp of July! Crazy!!
Over the past couple of weeks I’ve been doing a lot of thinking about how I show up in the world and the impact that I want to make. With this in mind, there are two themes I’ve been working on:
“Comparison is the thief of joy” ~Theodore Roosevelt
There’s no faster way to make yourself feel completely un-awesome than to start comparing yourself to other people. Even though I know this to be true, let me real with you here and admit that in my dark moments, I do this. All. the. time.
The ironic thing is that when I usually hear people compare themselves to others, they typically do it as a way to build themselves up while putting others down.
But me? Nope. When I’m feeling down and mentally compare myself to someone else, it’s somehow with the intention of proving how the other person is more worthy. I’ve done this about my body, relationship status, career, income, life choices, my home, etc.
And to be honest? I’m really sick of it because it doesn’t accomplish anything!
Over the weekend I was on the way to a friend’s wedding and had a complete melt-down about my life. We’re talking tears, ugly crying, and smeared mascara everywhere. And why? All because I decided to compare my life to someone else’s. Someone else who has completely different priorities, values, and goals, and who naturally, has made different life choices accordingly.
It sounds so silly when I’m sitting here in a rational frame of mind typing this, but in those dark moments when our thoughts run the show and we start playing the comparison game, no one wins.
Of course I’m completely cringing as I’m writing this (and as usual, I cannot believe I am putting this out on the internet 
), but I feel that it’s important to call this out because in order to create a healthier, happier life, we have to create healthy thought patterns.
This means no more comparisons and this leads me to my second point…
The best thing we can do for our own health and happiness is to practice self-compassion.
I don’t know about you, but I have incredibly high standards for myself and am certainly my harshest critic. Whenever a friend is feeling down, I will be their biggest cheerleader and try to boost their confidence through the roof. But for myself? Let’s just say I would never speak to a friend the way I speak to myself at times.
This isn’t the first time I’ve called myself out for unhealthy thought patterns and I think this only speaks to just how hard it can be to change. However, it is possible to reprogram our thoughts and just like any type of change, we have to start one step at a time.
So, with that being said, here’s what I’ve been working on on my journey to practice self-compassion:
- Practice patience and kindness, even when it feels hard. Whether this is kindness to yourself or kindness to others, it’s all the same because we’re all fighting a hard battle.
- Get support when needed.
- Lighten up and get some perspective. Will this matter 5 years from now? 10 years from now? A month from now? Even if it’s important, is it really worth getting upset about?
- Speak to yourself the way you’d speak to a friend. Practice kindness and compassion above all else.
- Take a deep breath and let it go. (This is definitely a reminder that I need more yoga in my life!)
What tips do you have for practicing self-compassion? Leave ’em in the comments below.
Wishing you health, happiness, and self-compassion,
P.S. Did you enjoy this Wellness Wednesday series? Are there other topics you’d like to see in future posts? 
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