Why your life isn't as bad as you think...

The stories we tell ourselves about other people's lives are usually fiction.

"Comparison is the thief of joy." - Theodore Roosevelt

Ancient wisdom traditions understood something we've forgotten in our Instagram age:

The monk who seemed most enlightened often struggled with the same doubts as everyone else.

The neighbor whose garden looked perfect was probably wrestling with the same weeds, just out of sight.

But here's what's different now: we're not just comparing ourselves to our immediate community - we're comparing our behind-the-scenes reality to the carefully curated highlight reels of millions of strangers.

We're measuring our rough draft against everyone else's final edit.

Your worth isn't determined by how your life stacks up against what you see on social media.

Those perfectly arranged photos?

those achievement announcements?

those seemingly effortless successes?

They're marketing, not reality.

The comparison trap isn't stealing your joy - it's stealing your ability to see the beauty of your own imperfect, authentic, beautifully human journey.

In 2019, supermodel and entrepreneur Chrissy Teigen did something that shocked her 13 million Instagram followers: she posted a completely unfiltered photo of herself crying in her car after a therapy session, along with a brutally honest caption about her struggle with depression and anxiety.

For years, Teigen had been the queen of aspirational content - perfect family photos, luxurious vacations, flawless red carpet moments.

Her feed was what millions of people compared their lives to, not knowing that behind those perfect posts, she was struggling with postpartum depression, relationship challenges, and the crushing weight of maintaining a "perfect" public image.

The breaking point came when she realized she was comparing her own real life to the fake version she was presenting online.

She was scrolling through other celebrities' feeds, feeling inadequate about her own seemingly perfect life because it didn't match their seemingly perfect lives.

The irony was devastating:

She was trapped in comparison hell of her own making.

Her decision to share her vulnerability wasn't just personal liberation - it became a movement.

Millions of followers responded with their own stories of struggling behind their perfect posts.

The most-liked comment was from a fan who said: "Thank you for reminding me that the woman whose life I've been envying is just as human as I am."

Why am I sharing this?

Because right now, you might be scrolling through feeds of people whose lives look effortlessly amazing while yours feels messy, incomplete, or somehow not enough.

You might be wondering why everyone else seems to have figured out something you're still struggling with.

The universe has been trying to show you the beauty and purpose in your unique path, but the comparison lens keeps distorting your vision.

Every time you measure your chapter 3 against someone else's chapter 20, every time you compare your struggles to their celebrations, you're missing the sacred story that's unfolding in your own life.

This isn't about the universe wanting you to stop using social media - it's about your soul asking:

"When will you stop looking everywhere else for validation of the worth that already lives within you?"

You see, comparison isn't just about social media - it's about forgetting that every soul is on a completely different curriculum.

The person whose career looks effortless might be learning lessons about success you've already mastered.

The couple whose relationship looks perfect might be working on communication skills you developed years ago through your own struggles.

What looks like "behind" is often just "different."

What feels like "not enough" is often exactly where you need to be for your next level of growth.

Those moments when comparison hits hardest?

That's not evidence that you're failing - that's your inner wisdom trying to redirect your attention back to your own lane, your own lessons, your own perfectly imperfect journey.

Comparison spiral from hell

I want to share something deeply personal with you today.

Six months ago, I found myself in what I now call my "comparison spiral from hell."

I was scrolling through LinkedIn, looking at all these entrepreneurs my age who seemed to have everything figured out - seven-figure businesses, perfect team photos, speaking at conferences, writing books.

Meanwhile, I was struggling with basic things like consistent income and feeling like a fraud most days.

The breaking point came when I saw a post from someone I had gone to college with, celebrating their "overnight success" after launching their third profitable business.

I felt this crushing wave of inadequacy - like I had somehow missed the memo on how to be a successful adult.

That night, I couldn't sleep.

I kept replaying all the evidence of how "behind" I was, how everyone else was winning while I was still figuring things out. I felt like I was watching life through a window, always on the outside looking in at other people's success.

The next morning, something prompted me to reach out to that college friend whose success had triggered my spiral.

I sent a vulnerable message, basically saying "I saw your post and I'm struggling with comparison. How did you figure it all out?"

Her response changed everything. She told me that "overnight success" had taken seven years of failures, bankruptcy, anxiety attacks, and almost giving up multiple times.

The confident posts were real, but they represented maybe 5% of her actual experience.

The other 95% was doubt, struggle, and figuring it out as she went - just like me.

That conversation taught me something profound about the illusion of other people's perfection that has transformed how I see both social media and my own journey.

When you can celebrate your progress without needing it to match anyone else's timeline, when you can see your struggles as curriculum rather than evidence of inadequacy, you've found something more valuable than any curated success story.

The most courageous thing you can do isn't hide your imperfections - it's stop using other people's highlight reels as evidence that your real life isn't enough.

Reality Check Reset

When comparison starts stealing your joy and peace, I want you to try this soul-protecting practice I call the "Reality Check Reset" (because it helps you see through the illusion and reconnect with your truth):

1. Pause the scroll: The moment you feel that comparison sting, stop scrolling immediately. Take three deep breaths.
   

2. Name the feeling: Say out loud: "I'm comparing my behind-the-scenes to their highlight reel, and that's not fair to either of us."
   

3. Remember the 90/10 rule: What you're seeing represents maybe 10% of their actual experience. The other 90% includes struggles, doubts, and ordinary moments just like yours.
   

4. Redirect to gratitude: Name three things you're genuinely grateful for in your own life right now, however small.
   

5. Connect with your why: Ask yourself: "What am I actually trying to create in my life?" Focus on your own vision, not their validation.
   

6. Take inspired action: Instead of scrolling more, do one small thing that moves you toward your own goals.
   

Use this practice every time comparison strikes, and watch how your relationship with social media and self-worth transforms.

Remember: The people you're comparing yourself to are probably comparing themselves to someone else, wondering if they're enough too. Your messy, imperfect, work-in-progress life is exactly what it's supposed to be right now. Try the Reality Check Reset today and notice how much lighter you feel when you stop carrying the weight of impossible comparisons. Your journey is enough. You are enough. 💕✨

Love

Gin