Don't be like the rest of them, darling.

Sometimes, I get super discouraged about blogging.
I read these other blogs that seem so beautiful and polished, always the right amount of funny and serious, with thousands of followers.
I think, "I'll never get to that point."
Which is usually followed by, "How can I be more like them?"

And then, my little blog, which I loved a few days ago, seems sad and not good enough.

Ah, the curse of comparison.

I was thinking on this today, and how it transfers to every area of life.  I joke with my mom that when we go shopping, I usually start the day feeling great about my outfit.  But by the time we've hit a few stores {especially Dillard's, with their perfectly manicured employees working the perfume counters}, I feel like I might as well just have worn sweatpants to the mall because clearly I will never be as fashionable as the rest of them.

The same goes for eating habits.  I've been trying to have a more healthy lifestyle, and part of it is using my juicer every morning.  Lately, I've been feeling pretty fantastic about it.  Well, I just read an article about how you should only juice organic fruit, because all other fruit is horrible.  I can't afford to buy everything organic, so if even my fruit isn't healthy,  I might as well eat McDonald's for every meal for the rest of my life.

This train of thought can go on and on and on.

and on and on and on. 

Let me just put a stop to that right here.

This way of thinking is wrong. 

This way of thinking is a lie. 

You were made to be you.  
You were made fearfully and wonderfully and uniquely.
You were made with a plan and a purpose.
You were made with dreams and desires and passions specifically crafted for your character.
And you are amazing.

Do not try to change that.  Do not lessen the masterpiece that you are by holding it up to other paintings and comparing your flaws to their successes.  Do not weaken the amazing creation that you are by trying to conform into someone else. Don't cheapen the incredible character that God created for you by wishing you could be more like someone else and less like yourself.

Just don't.

Because yourself is one truly amazing self.

And you know what?  Once you stop comparing yourself and your lifestyle to other people and their lifestyles, it is much easier to see just how amazing you are.

So let's all agree to stop the vicious cycle of comparison.
To stop lying to ourselves.
To start enjoying our own amazing, unique, personalities.

No one else is ever going to be able to accomplish the things that you were created to accomplish.  So why would you want to be anyone else?  Why would you want to miss out on that?

"Don't be like the rest of them, darling." 

{via}