The Comparing Mind (10% Percent Happier Self Care Journey) 3/16/20

The Comparing Mind (10% Happier Self Care Journey) 3/16/17 •  Constantly comparing yourself to others is a restless, unproductive,  unhealthy habit. Deciding who we are based on other peoples status,  achievements, preferences etc is a fruitless activity because the source of validation is being derived from a standard that  will always fluctuate when a new person enters the equation; thereby  becoming the new object of comparison. • At times  comparing yourself to others CAN be the source of inspiration to do  something positive. However "dwelling" in an obsessive way can quickly  and easily lead to negative emotions, feelings of fear or resentment and  have a huge impact on ones self confidence or feelings of self worth.  The key is to monitor your feelings and to be honest with yourself about  how the feelings of comparison are impacting you. •  Comparing is the opposite of Sympathetic Joy. Sympathetic Joy - the  feeling which arises when one regards all beings (beginning with oneself  and one's own family and friends but not stopping there) with  loving-kindness and then perceives those who are happy and have created a  lot of merit or even attained liberative insight. •  Remembering that everyone's life is a mixture of pleasure and pain and  joy and sorrow will naturally decrease your "comparing" and judgement  and increase your degree of empathy, compassion and mindfulness. •  Remember, we can't control emotionally what arises but we can control  how we relate to it. A state of chronic comparing leads to exhaustion  and bitterness. Applying compassion, we can see what's happening and  work toward the development of compersion, mudita and sympathetic joy.