Comparison

"Comparison is the thief of all Joy"

This is a tweet I saw the other night from Jamie Gilbert (@jdgilbert19).  It was a great reminder for me.  How often do we compare ourselves to others?  As a new mom, a "new" wife and a "young" teacher I find myself doing this often.  Being a mom has brought this too my attention more than anything.

• I could never be a stay at home mom they must be a better parent than I am.
• We don't do ___ all the time, they must be better parents than us.

The list could go on and on.  It is so easy to see what others do and to compare myself.  Why do we use others as a measuring stick?  Each situation is specific to the individual and it is unfair to ourselves to judge what we do based on another person's circumstances. 

We want to grow each day, but we should grow based on who we were yesterday; not based on those around us.  Do the best you can, with what you have, where you are now.  Don't let comparisons steal the joy from your life.