A short self-help YouTube segment (by Danielle Jhiani) arguing that comparing ourselves to others is harmful because it prompts false assumptions and negative self-judgment. The speaker notes that outward appearances often hide struggle, comparisons fixate attention on negatives, and recommends focusing on positives to feel more hopeful.
Comparing is something we all do from time to time. The brain that's always seeking pleasure, always seeking more. But when we start comparing, we're always going to find somebody who's better off, and it's never going to make us feel good. The other reason this is so unhealthy is because we're usually making a lot of assumptions. We are creating stories that aren't even true. Yeah, they're on vacation, but maybe they had an argument with their partner the night before. They look like they have it all together, but they're really struggling with anxiety. There's often a lot more underneath that we don't know. And even if we are right, people can be in that place in one moment in their life, and then two years later, they may not be in that place. Putting that back on ourselves and saying, I'm not good enough. I don't have that. All you're doing is focusing on the negative. You have a lot to be proud and hopeful for. If we focus on the positive, we're going to feel more positive.
