"When it comes to hating, gossiping, ignoring, ridiculing, holding grudges, or wanting to cause harm, please apply the following: Stop it!" President Uchtdorf said in April 2012 general conference. I think comparing easily fits on that list. But that's easier said than done. How do we really stop feeling insecure and comparing ourselves with others when we are surrounded by those behaviors on a day-to-day basis?
There are billions of people in this world you can compare yourself to. Once you start, you might find it difficult to stop. We have all done it—wishing we were more like her or considering how glad we are not to be like him. Even as we do it, we know we are not thinking or acting like Jesus Christ would.
It is possible to righteously admire someone, and that is healthy because it motivates us to improve ourselves. However, being jealous of someone’s strengths, ashamed of your own weaknesses, or envying a “perfect life” you think someone has is a purely negative activity. Unhealthy comparisons lead to depression, lack of self-confidence and self-worth, ungratefulness, relishing in the trials of others, resenting yourself and others, wasted time and effort, destroying any motivation to achieve personal goals, and spiritual digression.
If comparing yourself to others has become a daily habit for you, it is time to stop, and we have some tips for doing just that.
Keep a “gratitude journal.”
Keeping a journal of the things you are grateful for will help you focus on the blessings you have been given. There are too many to count. Take a few minutes each day to write down the gifts, talents, and opportunities you have. Consider what you could do to make someone else feel grateful the next day. Go back and refer to that journal when you need a pick-me-up during a hard time.