Comparison can be an automatic lens that we see the world through. It can be a misleading filter that warps our view of things. Here are some areas to explore to help you / your child reduce comparisons.
Develop awareness:
It can be hard to develop awareness on your own, so a parent and child combo or coach and athlete combo may need to work together on this. Every time you compare yourself to others it can be helpful for someone to point out to you that you are doing it. Can you tune in to your thinking and catch it when you start comparing yourself to others.
Journaling can help us to notice how often we fall in to the comparison trap.
Impact on self-esteem (confidence):
If we constantly use comparison to gauge our own success, then we well struggle to find our own self worth as we are expecting to be like someone else. Can you shift your lens to look directly at yourself and your goals?
Ensure your benchmarks are about your own journey, where you have been in the past and where you want to be.
Strengthen your self-worth:
Remember – each of us is born with specific gifts, strengths, weaknesses, and potential. You are special. When you chose to compare yourself to others it can be a demoralising process ad you will build your own path and purpose.
Practice mindfulness, gratitude and affirmations to help you focus on your positives.
Set healthy social media limits:
We know that social media is a breeding ground for comparison. Technology is a crucial part to our life and friendships so we can’t disregard it completely. But we need to think about how we use it to connect and communicate.
Limit the amount of time you are just ‘scrolling’ and use your time to connect with others.
Be you – Our 5 top tips for reducing comparisons:
Seek connection – send messages, talk about experiences and build emotional connections.
Look up, just a little – a little upward comparison can boost motivation and effort.
Count your blessings – show gratitude for what you do have rather than constantly feeling frustrated at what you don’t have.
Compare you to you – use yourself for internal evaluation
Pursue upward joy – Explore what you admire and appreciate about other people and cultivate joy for their success.
This content has been developed as part of our #itsmyjourney project with Valleys Gymnastics Academy.