The Gift of Comparison: A Springboard to Expand Into Your Best Self
Welcome to the Vibrant Living with Nousha blog. I’m Nousha, super excited to be on this journey of learning, growth and healing with you. This blog is designed to inspire, educate and encourage you or someone you know to live a more vibrant, fulfilling life.
In the January 2017 blog I share the five pillars of optimum health and how we need to nourish, protect and renew each pillar so they can work harmoniously to create optimum health. Today, I’d like to illustrate the importance of the pillar of our mental health and to embrace all experiences as part of the journey of being human and utilizing them to expand into our best selves. In particular I’ll focus on how comparison can be a gift in our lives and provide a 4 Step Process to use comparison to our advantage, as a spring board to further expand into your best self and also include six resources to further support you on your journey.
These days with social media, it is even more inviting to fall into a habitual mindset of comparison. Their is an impact to staying in the state of comparison and constantly experiencing comparison. It negatively affects our health physically, emotionally, mentally, spiritually and financially. Over time, being in a constant state of comparison in excess can create dis-ease. There is a way to shift comparison to your advantage to grow into your best self and use it to design a life you love!
The truth is, it is human to compare. It is part of being human to judge, assess, compare and it’s actually a beautiful process as it allows us to see the contrast and gain clarity about what we want and don’t want. There is a way to utilize comparison as a springboard to expand into your best self. In this way, comparison can be a gift.
We are constantly evolving and expanding into new spaces and places in our lives and when we see ourselves comparing ourselves to another it is important to stop and remember two things:
- What we are seeing is something we desire to be, do or have in our lives that we don’t yet; however, now we have the clarity that this is what we desire and the opportunity to create it in our lives.
- We may see people’s glory yet we may not know the story/process that took place that lead to this glory
You see, every glory once had a story and we may just be comparing someone’s ending to our beginning.
I’ll share a personal story that illustrates this, in 2015 I decided to participate in my very first triathlon. I love to swim, cycle; however, running was not my favourite activity. Despite this, with the encouragement of my friends I saw it as an opportunity to explore something new and also let go of any limiting beliefs that keep me from experiencing what many call “a runners high”.
With less than 3 months to train I got into a rhythm and actually started to enjoy the process of running. Come race day, I was excited and participated with the mindset of doing the swim and cycle with ease, conserving my energy for the run which was not my strength. I enjoyed the swim in the ocean wearing my wet suite and then when the cycle came it got off to a great start. I was cycling uphill with ease and a sense of joy getting into a rhythm that worked for me. I was enjoying the scenery, admiring nature and how quite it was as it was just me, the bike and the road, until suddenly, I heard a group of cyclists come up behind me, lap me and pass me. In that moment, I felt weak, I compared myself to them. I felt myself slowing down, I felt myself loosing momentum. As I compared myself, I really felt what Theodore Roosevelt once shared, “comparison is the thief of joy”.
After being in the depths of comparison for a few minutes, I “woke myself up” and took a moment to remind myself of the 4 Step Process (that I share below). I used this process to shift my state of mind and actually enjoy the rest of the ride and the run. In fact, I had my best run ever in terms of the experience and my best time ever.
As Tony Robbins shares, it’s key to create a state change so we can shift our feelings and thoughts, which lead to new actions and results. This was definitely my experience.
You too can utilize this simple, easy, proven 4 Step Process to shift from comparison into a state of joy and freedom.
Step 1 – Acknowledge Where You Are
We tend to compare our beginning to someone else’s ending. We all go through challenges and obstacles and I reiterate what one dear friend shares: you may only see someone’s glory but not be aware of their story. The truth, as I learned later after the triathlon was complete and we were giving each other hugs and high fives was that the people who passed me participate in this triathlon for fun as a way to wind down the season after participating in an Iron Man or two.
Step 2 – Honour Your Unique Journey
Honour your soul’s journey. Own where you are at and savour the experience, it is yours and unique to you. For me, I owned that this was my very first triathlon and to fully and completely enjoy the experience as it won’t every come again in this form.
Step 3 – Choose to Expand
Check in with ourself, do you believe you can Be-Do-Have what you are observing too? If yes, start creating it and go to Step 4 below. If your answer is no, then there is a limiting belief that you can chose to shift and transform. If you would like access to some resources that can support you in the process visit www.noushabehbahanian.com, Resources tab and Vibrant Community Service Partners.
Step 4 – Start Creating What You Desire
You can learn more about this step by reading the February 2017 blog: Intentional Living To Create a Life You Love.
The six books below served me well on my journey, for your convenience you can access them all at www.noushabehbahanian.com under the resources section:
1. The Universe Has Your Back by Gabrielle Bernstein
2. The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle
3. A New Earth: Awakening Your Life’s Purpose by Eckhart Tolle
4. The Power of Intention by Wayne Dyer
5. The Desire Map by Danielle Laporte
6. Loving What Is by Byron Katie
Comparison can be a gift. I invite you to use the simple, easy, proven 4 Step Process I used to shift yourself into a state of joy and freedom which can positively impact your results. As you take the journey to create your vibrant, fulfilling life and make these shifts in your mindset, you are not alone. You can connect to our group of passionate women and men who are creating a beautiful, happy, fulfilling and freedom filled life. Reach out and receive support from our community of like minded people by joining our Facebook group: Our Vibrant Living Community.
I’m excited to be on this journey with you. The truth is you can design and create, a life you love regardless of your circumstances. If you or anyone you know is struggling with how to live a vibrant, fulfilling life connect them to our blog and/or YouTube Channel, Vibrant Living with Nousha. Simply subscribe to our YouTube Channel and this way each Wednesday, a new show will appear in your show feed ready for you to enjoy and share with your friends, family and community.
Follow Nousha on social media @noushaslegacy on Instagram and Nousha Behbahanian on Facebook. You are invited to join Our Vibrant Living Community on Facebook. You can also learn more by visiting: www.noushabehbahanian.com.