Comparing yourself to others can weigh you down

We’ve all done it. Your next-door neighbour has done it. Your boss has done it. Your mum has done it. Even Miss Universe has done it! Comparing yourself to others is something we all do at some point in our lives.

When we catch ourselves doing it on a regular basis, then it’s a good time to ask; How is this serving you? Is it motivating you to be better or bringing you down?

If you answered yes to the latter, let’s tackle this together. Why? Because here’s how drawing comparisons can derail your progress:

You’ll never truly be able to celebrate your weight loss wins or progress
You’ll make the journey tougher as your inner critic gets louder
You’re setting yourself up to fail by trying to look like someone else other than you

Wow, that sounds as fun as doing your tax return. But unlike your taxes, comparing yourself to others is something you can avoid. Here’s some recommendations to break a habit that’s weighing you down:

Step away from social media

Angles, filters and plenty of shots later go into taking the perfect photo on social media. It’s not real. Just a really good version of the life people want you to see.

Give your inner critic a name

Whether it’s a ‘she’, ‘he’ or ‘them’, your inner critic, believe it or not, is trying to be helpful. They believe in a tough love approach that’s probably too tough. Give your inner critic a name, so you can tell it to back off when they go too far.

Redefine your success

Rather than looking to others and letting them influence your weight loss goals, you decide what success is. Is it fitting into that dress? Running around the block? Or playing backyard cricket with the kids.

See, when you shift the focus back onto you, then the world seems a little lighter, kinder. It’s exactly the self-care you need to love the weight-loss journey, bumps and all.