Living in society today, it can often be a daily struggle to appreciate yourself and all the unique things that you bring to the table. This can lead to a difficulty in reducing insecurity and acknowledging the positive attributes that you possess that beautifully shape and mold the world into the state it is in today.
I am definitely an anomaly in the fact that I never had a confidence problem; I was always secure within myself and my abilities. With that being said, however, there have been times when I haven’t been as secure within my own skin as I should be. We all go through this at a point in life; we can all experience the ambiguity of our purpose, attributes, and contributions.
My mother has told me repeatedly growing up: there will always be someone prettier than you, smarter than you, skinnier than you, dumber than you, less put together, etc. When I first heard this advice I was taken aback; I did not know her motives in telling me such blunt advice. Little did I know this would be the most vital advice I would receive thus far.
The reality is, she was right. This advice taught me that my only competition in life is myself. Comparing myself to others in regards to accomplishment, personality traits, physical appearance, etc. was a waste of time. It was only distracting me from what I needed to focus on: How can I grow and become a better person than I was the day before? When you come to terms with the fact that the variation in life is endless, you will have an epiphany. You won’t be concerned with others and being in competition with them in any regards. You will realize that their circumstances are irrelevant to your personal growth and do not need to be accounted for when making personal decisions.
If you know for a fact that there will always be someone smarter, but also not as intelligent as you are, you will lose sight of their progress, accomplishments, and flaws and begin to focus on your own. Your time will be invested in the betterment of your own mental, emotional, and physical wellbeing without being distracted in any manner.
Learn to appreciate yourself. The uniqueness, quirkiness, and beauty that you bring to the table is diverse from everyone around you. Focus on what you want. Acknowledge what is important to you, construct a plan, and execute accordingly to achieve your goals. Become blind to the competitive edge others feel when attempting to reach a goal and your success and prosperity will flourish.
