Have you ever found yourself reading
about a celebrity, or looking at someone’s Facebook page, wishing that
you were more like them, and agonizing about the fact that you’ll never
have their house, their husband or wife, their looks, be able to get
into their yoga pose? We're human, and in today’s world — between the
reality TV, news, and social media — people’s personal lives are thrown
in our faces everywhere we look.

Comparison to others contributes to unhappiness in huge ways, because
the result you're looking for is almost always impossible. Sure, it's
fine to have positive role models who help you evolve into your best
self. But it's different when you find yourself getting sad and feeling
inadequate when hearing about or seeing other people’s lives. Comparison
is natural, but if you're constantly trying to be like others it's a
huge red flag that you need to do some soul searching, realize what's
important in life, and learn how to maximize the unique opportunities of
your own life.

Here are four things you can do to get on the path towards living your
own story:

1. Think about how unique your life is and celebrate it.

Things that seem mundane to you about yourself are more interesting than
you realize. Maybe you speak two languages, or grew up somewhere
different. Perhaps you spend your weekends scouring through thrift
stores in a city, or surfing at your nearest beach, or taking a
beautiful walk in the woods. All of these little things come together to
make you, YOU. No one else has walked your path, and that's an honor.
Live your own life to its fullest potential, and do everything you do
with complete passion, sincerity, and a smile on your face.

2. Learn to be happy for others.

Learn to recognize jealousy and transform it into feeling happy for the
person in question. In turn, be happy for yourself. Happy for your
health, your job, the people in your life, and your experiences.

3. Don’t compare yourself to anyone, good or bad.

Realize that people are also in their own unique situations. Stop
thinking you're inadequate, and definitely don’t look at anyone else and
think you're better than her. You wouldn’t want anyone doing that to
you, so plant some good seeds by keeping a neutral, non-judgmental view
of people.

4. Realize that people showcase the best of themselves.

Of the hundreds of photos people post of themselves on Facebook, there
are probably about a thousand more they consider unflattering. Next time
your ego starts to say, “I wish I were as photogenic as her…” remember
that! Similarly, no one (at least not most people) is going to post
about her boring Saturday night spent sitting on the couch watching
reruns of 90s sitcoms, waiting for the phone to ring. People only put
out there what they want the world to see, and it isn’t necessarily the
whole deal.

Don’t try to live in someone else’s story. Make up your own, starting
today. You were given your own unique path to go down, so make the best
of it, focus on yourself, and keep on shining as brightly as you already
do.