“Comparison is the death of joy.” Today is not my best day. I'm tired....physically, mentally, and definitely emotionally. Have you ever had that kind of day? (maybe even week? or month?) Well, I'm knee-deep in it right now, and I think I'm making the situation worse by doing something I tend to do when times get tough. Hello. My name is Dot, and I'm a comparison junkie. That's right. I compare my life to others'......frequently. Why must I do that?! Seriously! I mean it's not like I'm a complete fool. I know that just because someone LOOKS like they have the most awesome life on the exterior does NOT mean it's so within his/her "interior." Yep, good ol' Mark Twain knew what he was talking about! My joy is in short supply right now, and I think it's due to that plague of comparison I heap on myself. I wonder what Mr. Twain (a.k.a . Mr. Clemens) would think about Facebook...and Instagram....and, have mercy, let's not forget Pinterest! See, THOSE are the places that I find myself spending a lot of time, and THOSE places tend to bring out that need I have to compare what's happening in my world to what's out there in the rest of the world. Then, of course, every Blogger I subscribe to seems to be in a great place (and even if they aren't, they seem to handle/verbalize their situations better than I do!...See? I told you....always comparing.....it's a sickness of mine!) I so desperately want to break this terrible habit of mine, but what's a girl to do? (I can hear you..."Close all your Social Media accounts and get on with life!) Yep. That would be a sensible solution, and yet, I LOVE Social Media! I love the interaction....I love the "Pinspiration".... and besides, right now, my self-inflicted mental fatigue hinges on some real world events that I REALLY want to be picture postcard perfect: *Several photoshoots that reveal the beauty I always see when I look through my lens. These people have entrusted me to capture moments in their lives and I want to meet....or even exceed.... their expectations *A Family Gathering where everyone is truly thankful (and the decor/food is festive and delicious) *An Intimate Wedding that our daughter and her Love will remember for the rest of their lives (I'm about to be a Mother-in-Law!) UPDATE 12-8-13: Turns out he wasn't her "Love" after all. Wedding cancelled. Thank you, God, for sparing my daughter a lifetime of heartache! *A Christmas Celebration where we focus not so much on the "what" but on the "why" Earlier today, something happened that really hurt my feelings (I don't have a very thick skin and I could have possibly misinterpreted the whole thing). At any rate, I felt a little pang of worthlessness, and just for a very brief amount of time, the comparison demons charged at me full force. Here's the best part of the story...a friend called out of the blue and said some things to me that only our God could have prompted her to say. It changed the course of my day for the better! I believe He is telling me to do several things: 1) Slow down 2) Believe in yourself & have the confidence to be YOU...not a clone of someone else 3) Don't give up or give in 4) Enjoy life as it happens...none of us are promised tomorrow! So, what about you? Do you fight the Battle of Comparison or are you good to go just "doing you"? If you have any words of wisdom for me, I'd love to hear them. Thanks for reading!
Until next time, ~Dot
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AuthorHi! I'm Dot. I refuse to succumb to the "empty nest syndrome"! So, this is my journal.....my photo album.....my attempt to enjoy the next chapter of my life as it unfolds. Welcome to The Roomy Nest! Archives
January 2020
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