I posted up a throwback graphic from 2016 back when I got my first opportunity to work on a brand/blogger collaboration (it was an interesting experience I'll share that story another day). I looked at the pic for the first time in 2 years and couldn't help but notice how much more successful all the other ladies have been than myself in the same 2 year span. Comparison. I thankfully instead of feeling like a failure decided to write about it, because I'm sure I'm not the only one to experience something like this.

"Let each one examine his own actions and then he will have cause for rejoicing in regard to himself alone and not in comparison with the other person...."- Galatians 6:4

The thing about comparison is it really is an act of violence against yourself - Iylana Vanzant . It doesn't benefit your or help you ... comparison isn't the same as letting another person inspire or motivate you. Social media has unfortunately oversimplified everything that goes into success so it's even easier to fall into the trap of comparing your right now to someone else's. The work, the turn downs, the let downs, and the fails are usually not posted on Instagram or any other platform. I was recently listening to Luvie's podcast with her special guest Kevin Fredericks of Kevonstage. He shared his journey to the success he has now and I didn't realize he'd had so many no's, losses of major coin, and had been working at his career for so long. I can remember his old channel and Youtube videos it all seemed to me like just yesterday but that was over 5 years ago. The same is true of the ladies I mentioned earlier, I made a lot of presumptions with my comparisons...I presumed we were all at the same starting point when I met them and in reality we were, and still are in different spaces, and lanes in our lives and careers. I may not be where they are but I'm more importantly not where I once was. I've learned, gotten smarter, and more creative over these past two years, and I look forward to doing that even more this year.

If your like me and you have that moment of feeling down ... remember what is for you is for you, and that your journey is yours.

XO,

Mary

#life