COMPARISON KILLED THE CAT BY MADDIE JUE

I live in a world of comparison. I’ve always felt inferior to those around me. Scrolling through social media outlets, I constantly see people living their best lives, pursuing their dreams, hitting major milestones. It’s exhausting. Living in this world of comparison makes me feel like I’m living my life wrong. Comparison gets the best of me more times than I’d like to admit. 

This voice of doubt has gotten the best of me. I’ve started to live my life based on what others think I should do, rather than doing what's best for me. I don’t even recognize the person in the mirror. I feel like I’m having a midlife crisis at the ripe age of 19. 

Inherently, this voice has killed my creativity. I’m scared to take risks. I’m scared to accomplish things in my life without hearing the criticism and judgment from those around me. I listen to the doubt in my head so often, but I never ask myself why. Why does it matter what other people think? Will it really matter if I don’t go to that one party in 50 years? Or will it matter if I wear that one shirt that all my friends thought was so horrendous? The answer is no. And I know the answer is no. I still struggle with putting that judgment and doubt aside, but I’m working on it slowly, but surely. So, tomorrow morning when I get dressed, I think I’ll wear that one horrendous shirt to class.