Have you ever seen the movie Nim’s Island?
If not, rent it. It’s one of my favorite family movies.
If so, do you remember the scene when Alex is going through airport security and the security guard is throwing away everything in her bag that’s not allowed? And he keeps saying, “Not allowed!” with that hilarious expression on his face?
Imagine me with that same expression on my face saying, “The comparing game is . . . not allowed!”
::snort::
Sorry, juvenile moment.
Do not compare yourself to someone else.
You are on this journey to become a better version of yourself. Not a better version of someone else.
Looking to other people for inspiration is a good thing, but don’t put them on some kind of pedestal and make them into your goal.
Guess what? That woman you think is so beautiful and you would love it if you could just look like her . . . she doesn’t see herself that way. In fact, there’s someone else she looks to for perfection and then that woman looks to another woman and so on.
I’m not going to look like Julia Roberts when I’m at my goal weight. Shocker.
Or Reese Witherspoon. Again. Shocker.
I’m going to look like myself. Just a little better version of myself.
I’m okay with that. Actually, I’m more than okay with that. Although, there are certainly things I would change about myself if I could there are so many other things I love.
My laugh. My eyes. My freckles. My curly hair.
Those things make me me.
The things I think are beautiful about Julia Roberts are the things that make her her. The same for Reese. If I could somehow take their qualities and mesh them with mine, I would no longer be Ruthanne.
That makes me sad.
You are unique. You are special.
I’m using actresses as examples, but we do this with people all around us, too. The woman at the gym, the grocery store, a friend, neighbor, etc.
When you catch your mind starting to play the comparing game, stop. Filter.
Thank you for this post! I’m very guilty of doing this to myself. I know I shouldn’t but yet do it all the time and know it holds me back. I think we are so flooded with images all our lives of what we think we should look like and forget to stop and look at the image in the mirror and in our heart. For who we are is 99% on the inside. And those images of actresses are only 1% of who they are.
Wisdom! Some ladies and I were just discussing this at our book club the other night. We’re reading Emily Freeman’s Grace for the Good girl. Good stuff!!!
I just shared your site with a women’s fitness group (+/-700 members). You inspire me:). I’ve got the daily workouts down its the food that causes me the most trouble! I love your daily posts!
I only want to look like what I used to look like. Promise.
This is so true. My Aunt had a gastric bypass, a boob reduction and a tummy tuck and is STILL miserable. She thought those things and getting the weight off would MAKE HER BEAUTIFUL, but they didn’t they made her a skinny, mean person. We all tell her we loved the “old” her, as that person was so loving and fun to be around. So sad.
Me? I just want to be healthy and happy.
You are so right! I am going to spend some time pondering the profound truth you laid out here.