Turning Envy Into Inspiration Part 2

The other week, I was exploring the possibility of taking the natural instinct to compare our lives with others and trying to take the negative connotations behind jealousy and turning envy into inspiration.

I have been thinking about how to achieve this when I find myself comparing where i am in life with those around me and I just saw this on Pinterest that really gave me some perspective:


Source: notdeadyetstyle.blogspot.com via Katherine on Pinterest

This is particularly relevant to the blogsphere and social networking lives we live these days. People will rarely post photos of their worst outfits and boring weekends at home so often all we see are the best bits. Did that ever occur to you?

I am often surprised by how easily I forget this or how my imagination might go into overdrive when I see the aspects of someone else's life/business/success/blog that don't always completely reflect reality.

All the same, I made a brief list of things I've noticed myself getting a little green (with envy) over and identified things I can do to not get caught up in someone else's highlights reel, but to improve on my behind the scenes so I'm putting my best self out there.

- I get envious of other people's well decorated, beautiful homes. In turn, what I have realised is that I haven't spent enough time making MY house a proper home.

- I get distracted by the popularity of other blogs and disappointed by my stats. Instead of trying to work out why other blogs are so successful, I need to spend some time refining the quality of my posts, working on what I'm putting out there, improving my photography, and finding my niche.

- I often wonder how other people have jobs they really love or successful indie businesses. It's not about the job, as I mentioned the other day, it's about different elements that make up a 'dream job' and all I need to do is spend some time working out the elements that are important to me and the job will come as a result of that.

- I feel like a social lame-o a lot of the time, mostly thanks to Instagram and Facebook. This is probably because I decline invitations more than I accept them and I've become way too comfortable staying in on a Saturday night when I probably should get out more and remember to take photos!

- I sometimes wonder what it would be like to be so ridiculously good at something that people are in awe of you. It's easy to forget, though, that to excel at something, you need to have drive, passion, and put a lot of hard hours into getting that good. Maybe I just haven't found that thing yet and that's what I really need to work on!

 I think this quote says it all. There is a huge difference in comparing your life with someone else's and taking guidance from positive characteristics that you see in others to improve and grow. No one has it all but there is so much to learn from the different people we encounter from day-to-day.

Aside from discovering a few things I'd life to work on,  I know that I already have so many amazing things in my life and it's important to remember that too! I'm just thinking out loud, but I'd love to hear what anyone else thinks on this subject.

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