It’s super easy to get caught up in the world of comparing yourself to others, especially in the online world we live in – looking at others’ success is so damn accessible!

We’re all guilty of it, we follow the most gorgeous people on Instagram who we don’t even know; we’ve got the Daily Mail app downloaded to our phone so we can scroll through the showbiz section on our breaks; shows like Love Island and TOWIE are guilty pleasures because we love watching ‘successful’ people live their glitzy lives. If you sometimes find yourself comparing your success, life, wealth and talents with people who look like they have it all please remember that you’re not along.

Comparison is the thief of joy.

Theodore Roosevelt

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Do you find yourself at 10pm each night scrolling through Instagram or Facebook looking at beautiful, smart, successful people and wishing you had their  lives? It’s okay to admire someone but if your admiration of them is making you miserable and compare yourself to them then it’s time to take action. Unfollow, unfriend, block.

The only person you should ever compare yourself to is yourself . The more time you spend focusing on others’ paths and lives, the more you’re going to lose control of your own path, ambitions, success.

We’ve put together a few simple, easy to follow steps that  will hopefully stop you from comparing yourself to others and learn how to control these hurtful habits.

Try A Social Media Detox

First and foremost, you need to unfollow anyone who makes you feel like your life isn’t good enough. Social media is great to keep in touch with friends and family, find inspiration and ideas but if it’s triggering self doubt then it’s time to change it up.

Going cold turkey from social media might not always be possible so why not try taking an ‘away day’ once a week? You’d be surprised how refreshed you’ll feel afterwards. If you’ve got an iPhone then the ScreenTime function is great for monitoring how much you use social media so if you think you can’t go a full 24 hours, why not limit yourself to 30-45 minutes a day?

Be Grateful For What You Have Now

If ever you find yourself looking at what other people have and wishing you had that too, take a step back and make a list of all the things in your life that you’re grateful for. Nobody has a perfect life, no matter what they show in public. My list would include things like my family, small friendship group and having a roof over my head. It doesn’t have to be something huge.

Focusing on your faults and someone else’s strengths will not change one single thing about yourself or your situation. Instead, focus on what you do have, and carry on.

Happiness is not having what you want, it is wanting what you have.

Rabbi Hyman Schachtel

Turn Comparison Into Inspiration

If you see someone finally achieve a lifelong goal and your first thought is ‘damn I wish that was me’, then the first thing you need to do is put together an action plan of how you’re going to get there. Let other people’s success be your inspiration and motivator. “If they can do it, so can I!” You need to learn to view others success as an inspiration for your own. If you think about the world’s top athletes, they always owe their success to someone before them who motivated and inspired them to do the same.

Focus On Your Strengths

It sounds cheesy but there is no one on this planet who can be a better you than you. It’s a given that if you focus on what you’re good at and cultivate your strengths as opposed to always picking at your weaknesses then you’re going to be much happier, and, in turn, more successful.

If you judge a fish by it’s ability to climb a wall, it will live its whole life believing it is stupid.

Albert Einstein

I recently listened to a podcast by somebody called James Smith. James is an online personal trainer who shares his wisdom online and he constantly refers to the way people choose their professions and hobbies because they are already good at them or already designed in a way which compliments the sport. So, whatever you are already good at, work on it, hone your skill and keep at it until you get to where you want to be.

Enjoy The Journey, Not The Destination

We’ve been culturally designed to feel like if we’re not at the finished result yet then we’re somehow a failure. We expect instant gratification without the hard work. Have you ever achieved something you worked really hard for and felt an unbelievable sense of satisfaction and just generally feeling proud of yourself? That’s what you’re working for. If you got given everything on a silver plate then chances are you’d probably decide you don’t want it anymore. You need to learn how to trust the journey you’re on, have fun with it and have faith that it will all work out.