You've heard it a million times.

"Don't compare yourself to others".

It's a redundant saying, but it is true.

Recently I've had an issue with looking at what the people around me are doing and reflecting on what I am doing. More specifically what I am doing wrong.

This is a toxic trait for a lot of people, but lately it manifests my entire being and is something I constantly obsess over.

Maybe this one girl dresses or acts a certain way, or maybe this person is smarter than me, or that I feel like someone is very accomplished and I want to be too.

Sometimes it's a good motivator.

For instance, if I feel like someone has achieved something that I want to also achieve, I am motivated by them to accomplish that goal.

It's not that I'm copying them, but more that I feel like there should be no reason why I shouldn't feel capable of achieving the same thing.

It becomes toxic when I demean myself into thinking because I'm not as popular or don't look a certain way, I'm a reject of society. Or I'm not the ideal person anyone wants to be friends with.

I think social media is the main culprit for making me feel this way because it gives me the opportunity to actively look for things that I feel are wrong with me.

It's not easy to just tell yourself to be content with who you are when you are forced to constantly look at other people who are more successful than you.

However, one thing to keep in mind is people put on a mask when they post to social media. More often than not, if that person is the object of your envy, they have someone else who they envy equally as much and who they model their life after.

At the end of the day, it doesn't matter what you temporarily, but rather the people you'll have by your side in the future.