Back when we were newlyweds, I tried to sell my husband’s truck without his permission. “You might get some phone calls about your truck,” I told him over the phone, “I listed it in the Thrifty Nickel today.” True to my husband’s virtue of never-ending patience, he took a few phone calls and kindly told them (and me) that the truck was no longer for sale.

What led me to make such a drastic decision was a little green troll in my mind called comparison. Each day when I dropped my daughter off for school (a very established and well-to-do private school, I might add) I took note of the expensive cars that lined the parking lot. I took note of the moms who weren’t going to work but going to workout (I was a working mom at the time.) I took note that I was the only one driving a dark green, four-door, used, Z71 pick up truck. And in a momentary lapse of judgment and extreme embarrassment, I decided the truck must be sold. “Yep,” I convinced myself, “That will fix everything.”

How many of you have had a similar run in with comparison? A simple observation grows into comparison, and that comparison grows into discontent…which at some point turns into (in my case anyway) a stupid decision. Please tell me you can relate.

You’ve heard it said that comparison is the thief of joy, but it steals more than that. Comparison can become a lens that distorts, and even perverts, reality. Every situation, every piece of news, every conversation becomes a measurement of your own worth or worthlessness.

Is this you? Are you wearing the lens of comparison every day? Are you tired of what it’s doing to you?

Here are some tips on how to tackle the little troll…

1. KNOW YOUR TRIGGERS. Comparison, envy, inadequacy, jealously, discontent, etc. is a response to something or someone. You don’t just wake up with comparison each day, you encounter something or someone that makes you feel it. Knowing WHO or WHAT the trigger is will help you kick the troll to the curb.
2. STAY PRODUCTIVE. Listen closely, I didn’t say “stay busy.” Busy will only distract you from the things that cause you to compare. Being productive will not only keep you focused on the things that matter, but it will also help you feel better.  When you feel productive and accomplished, you actually feel better about yourself. Productivity makes you feel great about what you’ve done and who you are. Double bonus!
3. USE THE TRIPLE AAA FORMULA. Living a comparison-less life isn’t the goal -- learning to deal with comparison is. Let yourself feel the sting of comparison and then move on. Try the TRIPLE AAA Formula: ACKNOWLEDGE + ACCEPT +APPRECIATE. Acknowledge the comparison. Accept your current reality. Appreciate something you have.
4. UNFOLLOW THAT PERSON. We love social media, yall, but we’ve seen the dark side of it, too. If you are struggling with comparison, limit your intake of social media sites and know who to unfollow. If someone else’s life makes you question your own, it’s time to unfollow that person.

Don’t let comparison rob you of one more wasted moment. There is no one more equipped, more able, more perfect for the job of being you than YOU.

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