And Then It Happens… #12

First off, thanks for everyone who drops by, comments, and retweets (and tweets) my Motivational Mondays.  I like good quotes, so decided to share my stash each week.

Often I read them and think of people or situation.  Tossing them out to the ether is my cathartic way of tossing the good advice into the wind in hopes that it finds the person that needs it.

Last night, I hit upon one that stuck with me.  Because I judge the images before I read the words, I almost glossed over it.

The design of this is just hideous in my mind.

But the quote: perfect.

Even if I’m not 100% sure it was said by Teddy Roosevelt.  (I did some checking and found it credited to others.)

I think it is human nature to compare yourself to others when esteem is low and/or when life is uncertain.

They look better. They do better. They are better.

Why did this happen to that person, but this is happening to me?

Hell, you can even toss in how people are treating you in comparison to others.  Anything is fair game.

Toss in the emotional lizard – that primitive emotional response that lives in the cave in your head – and these questions of comparison feed it.  It finds fun in joining into the game by drawing conclusions from these comparisons.  “Well, maybe you just aren’t good enough.” or “Maybe you aren’t important enough.”  The lizard utters these phrases, then sits back on its haunches to enjoy the show that is your response.

And then you are off down that slippery slope.

Joy is killed.

Questions are raised where there are no real questions.

And you are left feeling shaky and unsure ….

And, in my case, like an idiot.

For me, uncertainty drives it.

Job uncertainty.
Relationship changes.
Communication fun.

All leads to me kill the joy I do have….

With life,

My family,

My friends,

My work.

It wasn’t until I saw this quote that I understood what was driving my downward emotional spiral.  I am comparing.  I’m killing the joy I’m feeling by tripping over a pebble and treating it as though it was a boulder.   I’m not looking at the big picture. I’m not counting the blessings I do have.  Instead I’m focusing on the minuta that, in the grand scheme, does not matter.

No more.

I can’t do it.

It’s killing the joy in my life – the joy within me.

I am thankful I stumbled across this last night – I needed the perspective.

Thank you to whoever tossed it into the ether for me to find.

One Comment Add yours

  1. Joker_SATX says:

    Here is another thing to compare it to….

    In this aspect, you are not alone in your comparisons….

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