Competition and comparison. What comes to your mind when reading or hearing these two words? Sports may come to mind or these words may even come up when contemplating which restaurant to dine at. Would you dare to think that these two words can be a deadly combination when paired with women or just people in general in terms of their bodies? [swoon] Say it ain’t so! Now don’t get me wrong, depending on the situation and the intention, those two words can be combined and create healthy inspiration to work towards a goal, however sometimes that is hardly the case.

Competing and comparing your body to others are the two killers of self-confidence, rob your peace of mind, and give you a warped sense of self-worth, but this doesn’t have to be. I know at this time we are all mandated to social distance due to COVID-19 and during these uncertain times we all may be engaging in some unhealthy habits that reflect on our bodies. Be it as it may, let’s permanently distance ourselves from engaging in competing and comparing our bodies to others.

Ever Experience this? Keep reading as we discuss the following:

• Know your self-worth
• Be compassionate of other’s feelings
• Don’t lose sight of who you are

Know your Self-Worth

When we compare the bodies that God has created in his image, it’s like we are insulting his craftsmanship or we are telling God he has made a mistake. God created us and made us all different for a reason. We all have a purpose and special gifts! We were not placed here as human beings to appease the taste and opinions of others only his.

Self worth is an inside job. It should come from the inside and shine outward. Not the other way around. I’ve seen time and time again people relying on someone else to validate their worth. Stop that! I myself have fallen victim to this until I realized that if the only way I’m going to feel good about myself and validate myself is through the opinions of others, I’m never going to be satisfied because as soon as the validation or compliments from others come to a halt I will find myself back at square one. It will leave you feeling empty and seeking validation from all the wrong places instead of creating a never ending supply from within yourself. Once you create that supply for yourself you will never be without and you don’t have to worry about the roller-coaster of emotions when you do and don’t receive the validation of others or worse, changing yourself and doing the most for the wrong reasons and wrong people just to receive validation.

Be Compassionate

If you’re open to perceiving a situation from another point of view you are half-way there. We must remind ourselves that we are all human and we all have emotions. Not everyone has the same upbringing as you did and they may not have had the emotional support when it came to bad circumstances they may have endured. Be open to expressing compassion and realize that when they’re comparing their body to yours it’s not necessarily a dig at you but an internal battle within themselves.

Don’t Lose Sight of Who You Are

Remember you have a light and special gifts placed inside of you by the most high. You are blessed and highly favored. Do activities that add confidence to your life. Wear clothes that boost your confidence. Set goals and work towards them. Keep good company around that will keep it real with you and want to see you win. Keep in mind that a light that shines from the inside out is a light no one can dull without your permission and that when you do good to others that good will come back to you ten fold and vice versa. Don’t allow someone else’s negativity to turn you into a bad person or make you feel as though your good deeds and actions are going to waste or unseen. You will soon come into a season of reaping the benefits you have sown. Don’t lose sight honey! There is a light at the end of the tunnel.