COMPARING

                               

The quote above is said by Cassandra Lokko.

I have always been guilty of this, I used to compare myself to others for everything. Exam scores, looks, ability, etc. 

It's normal. Sometimes you can't help it, it just happens naturally , especially when you are surrounded by talented people or friends who YOU feel are way smarter than you. The education system and the society we live in today, encourages healthy competition so you work harder, because it's true, jobs are getting harder to obtain these days, therefore people expect you to be the best of the best. So it's natural, you can't help but compare yourself to others sometimes. But that doesn't mean it's always good to do that.

I've had many experiences of comparing myself to others and I honestly still fall into that trap. I've realized that sometimes it may encourage you to work even harder but most times, I've ended up feeling even more discouraged. I study Art A level and there was a moment where I felt extremely inadequate, I felt as if my drawing ability was no where near to the level of my Art classmates and seeing their good work around me made me compare myself to them, leaving me feeling discouraged and truthfully , a crap artist. Especially since my art work had always been more "unusual" in my eyes , compared to theirs. You're probably thinking "well what's wrong with that? It's Art in the end of the day. "

True. But when you see so many people draw effortlessly and make it look so easy . It makes you question your own artistic ability at times.

I was in my feelings one day, and the Lord reassured me by saying,

"I did not make you to be the same as everyone else."

You're different ... embrace it. I carry what the Lord said to me daily, even when there's moments where I may find myself comparing, I remind myself instantly of what he said. Because it's true. No one is the same, we all know this, but we need to start taking that fact literally.
Your voice is different for a reason, your thinking process is different for a reason. The way you look is different for a reason. Your opinions are different for a reason. Your gifts and abilities are different. Most importantly, your purpose in life is different to everyone's .

You may have a sibling who looks exactly like you! At every party, no one forget's to remind you that you both look like "twins". If you're reading this, you may actually be a twin! Regardless of how similar you look, you are still not your sibling! You are your own person. Period.

If I take my own sister as an example; we do have very similar features , but if you actually look at us properly as a WHOLE, our personalities are completely different. Our purposes in life are on the complete opposite end of the spectrum. We are entering completely opposite industries, because we both have our own purpose in life , specific to our abilities and gifts .

What the Lord said to me, applies to every part of life. So don't fret, if you don't look like the other models when you go for castings or in the magazines. You're not supposed to. Don't worry if in an exam you don't answer the question with the same answer or interpretation as others, you're not supposed to. There's always more than one way of doing something.

The Lord created us as specific individuals , not doppelgänger's to one another.

What's important to remember is that we all have different abilities therefore we acquire different skills. You may not be the most amazing at maths, but you are amazing at something else, for e.g History,  which someone else may not be as good at. Just because you find something difficult and feel as if a particular subject doesn't come as easily to you, it doesn't mean you are any less of a good student.

Don't be disheartened when you come across difficulty in certain areas of school, work life or just life in general! Your abilities, skills and even mindset is predestined for an industry, a community, a nation, where YOU will be best suited for. No one else. 

"Each one should test their own actions. Then they can take pride in themselves alone, without comparing themselves to someone else, for each one should carry their own load."  - Galatians 6:3-5

When your mind drifts off to comparing yourself to others. Stop yourself.
Focus on your strengths instead of weaknesses. See what you are good at!

Through Christ who strengthens and comforts me. I have come to realize that I may not be Van Gogh, but I acquire a distinctive style when I paint , that no one else has. It is my own. It's what makes my work unique. It's what makes me different from the rest. Different is good... at least you're not boring.

Look to God in times of need and encouragement, for he is eternal and pours his strength onto us when we focus on him and seek him for guidance.  

Stay focused on your own path! This is a must. When you start to pay attention to someone else's journey, you're putting your own journey on pause. Because you are meditating and focusing on what they are doing instead of focusing on what you should be doing. By doing this you are getting slower and slower.

I say this because, imagine you are in a race. Competing against many others, and as soon as the race begins, you are racing through the tracks! But you take a peek at the person beside you who doesn't care about what stage you are at, they are not even paying attention to you. Because they have their own goal they want to reach, so they are making sure they are in their OWN lane. In this very moment they are racing ahead just like you. But because you wanted to take a peek into their speed and journey, your focus has shifted from your own lane to now theirs. You're fixated on them while they are speeding ahead. By doing this you start to compare as to how they are so fast, etc. 

By focusing on their success. You have now become slower in your own race. You are no longer speeding ahead like the rest but instead trailing behind because your eyes are no longer on your own prize.

Comparing yourself to others is evidence of discontent in your own life. You are not satisfied with your own work, your ability, etc.

A key to success. Stop comparing. There's no need because we all have different levels of ability anyway. Thus, different stages of personal growth. Focus on God and your own path and if there's a difficulty you are trying to manage. Work on that. Invest time and energy into improving your skill! Instead of investing wasted time on others who have no part to play in your own purpose . They are not going where you are going. 

God is taking you somewhere else.

Majority of the time when we compare ourselves to others. We are basing it on inaccurate information. For e.g the images you see on social media. We all know most of that is photo-shopped anyway, yet we still fall under the influence to compare. We are not really being fair to ourselves.

If comparing is how you evaluate your worth and ability. Then you will always be losing.

For it is through God that you have been given the gifts you acquire and the life that you live. He is the creator and the finisher. If you are ever to compare. Compare yourself to God so you can be more like him.

" Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity." - ‭1 Timothy‬ ‭4‬:‭12‬ KJV

For if there is ever a question you need answering. Ask the one who created you , for he knows what you will endure in the future.

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart, 

and lean not on your own understanding,

 in all your ways submit to him,

and he will make your paths straight." - Proverbs 3:5-6

Grace and Love

Lourdes ❤