Finances- Why are We Concerned How We Compare to Others?

The comparison game is never- ending. ?More fashion, more vacations, more money; it never stops. At first glance, comparison can seem harmless or even healthy. After all, shouldn't we all know how we measure up to others? But you should never compare yourself to others, it is invisibly exhausting. After all, running in this race means having first place one minute and coming in last in the next.

The newest Apple Watch,?the purse of the season, the job with the corner office - comparison has high stakes that can leave you drained and unhappy.

But if you've chosen to compare, that means you can also opt out. What happens then? Find out the six reasons why you should never compare yourself to others and what to do instead.?

6 Reasons why you should never compare yourself to others

We've all heard it's bad for us, but why is that? After all, if you're not looking at what others have, how do you know?if you're successful??Isn't it better to see where you stand? The answer is no!

Knowing how well we are doing compared to other people isn't helpful at all. Let's find out what comparison can actually do to your health and life and why you are better off without it.

1. Enough isn't enough

One almost guaranteed thing is this: enough isn't actually enough. It's pretty common to say, "If I just had (fill in the blank), I'd be happy." But if you do acquire that item, job, opportunity, or whatever, you soon get used to it and want more.

People, especially when we feel competitive, like becoming better and better and?acquiring more things. That means that we are rarely satisfied with what we have.

If we see someone who has something better, suddenly the things we have just don't seem good enough. The problem with this cycle is that it doesn't end. When we compare, we are forever searching for more.

2. You may feel unhappy

Comparison is a liar. It tells you that you will be happy if you compare and then get what others have. But often, it's the opposite.

The higher we climb on the comparison ladder, the unhappier we may feel. Have you ever met someone who seems to have it all yet is still not?enjoying their life??This could be the result of comparison.

So instead of thinking about what others have, removing this from your mind entirely can help you feel a lot better. Just the one action of choosing to stop comparing may?change your mood and perspective.

It has even been suggested that?comparison makes our lives more stressful?and can affect our relationships, according to Elizabeth Scott, Ph.D. of Very Well Mind.

Why bring more overwhelm to an already overloaded schedule and multiple commitments??Added stress has no place in our lives.?You will feel much happier if you do not compare yourself with others.

3. Everyone is different

The idea of wanting everything that others have, or more than they have, is actually pretty silly. Why? Because everyone is different!

All of us have talents, different salaries, and personalities. We are all unique, but we try very hard to be the same, rather than embrace that.

For example, it may be hard not to compare if a friend is constantly buying the newest phone model, and you've had the same one for over a year. But then you might realize this friend?has a high salary?and works hard?to stay out of debt.

Upon recognizing that you are both different, comparison suddenly doesn't look so good because you can't compare what isn't the same. So rather than looking at what she has, try looking?at your own life?and the unique things you bring to the table.

4. You may be comparing yourself to something fake

So…when was the last time you took a photo of yourself for Instagram with no makeup, hair not done, wearing a hoodie and sweatpants, surrounded by a messy house? Probably never, right?

Guess what? Everyone else on social media also only puts the best versions of themselves online. What you are comparing yourself to may be someone's best day, not their worst, or it might be completely fake.

Since we don't always know what's real and what isn't?with social media, we can't make an accurate comparison. So why start?

It's okay to not compare a typical day in your life to a photo that someone spent twenty minutes editing. So do not compare yourself with others that could be "filtering" their real life.

5. You can miss out on what you can bring to the world

What's another reason why you should never compare yourself to others? There is no one out there who is exactly like you.

Suppose you are busy comparing and trying to be like everyone else. In that case, you won't bring your unique perspective and ideas to the world.

People won't have a chance to?get to know the real you!?And there are things that you can contribute at work and at home, for others and yourself, that you may miss if you are thinking about not having what someone else has.

Rather than getting stuck thinking about how you measure up, enjoy who you are. Think about what you can do for other people and what kind of person you want to be.

Focus on that instead of what anyone else is doing. If we all think about how we can help others and?be our best selves, the world can get a lot better really fast.

6. Comparison can cause you not to see the good things in your life

Comparing our lives to others makes it challenging to?see the good things we already have.?If you focus on how great someone else's life is, you may not be able to look around and see that you have good friends, a loving family,?a job you like, a talent for piano, or whatever else makes you unique.

As an exercise to help with this, try going about your day and noticing each good thing in your life. For example, living in a home you love, enjoying a short commute to work, or appreciating that you have the weekend off. These are all good things that you don't want to miss or take for granted.

For example, "Well, so and so might have a?brand new wardrobe,?but even if I don't have that, I'm grateful to have a home and a family I love." Over time, remembering to be grateful will become part of your everyday life and change the way you think.

If you aren't sure how to begin with gratitude,?Mindful has a great article about how to get started, including?journaling tips?and talking with others.

Never compare yourself to others and live a happier life

It's all pretty straightforward. Once you learn to never compare yourself to others, your life will change. You may feel that weight has been lifted off of you, and you could end up a lot happier and more grateful.?We are all unique, and the worst way to try to gain success is to bring others down or think that we somehow aren't good enough.

On the opposite side, a great way to have more joy and peace is to encourage other people and?focus on your own goals. That way, everyone wins.

No comparison = the chance for you (and others) to help each other and enjoy more happiness in life. So give it a try. Do not compare yourself with others, and watch?how much better life becomes.