The Unhealthy Comparison Game

About a month ago, a friend posted the below meme on her social media page.

I chuckled a little to myself, recognizing that like many young moms, she has undoubtedly received more than her fair share of unsolicited opinions about her life choices. And she is looking on the bright side of things!

But then I stopped smiling. I have friends who have had children young, but also many who have had children later in life (or who are still waiting) for a whole host of reasons. I wondered what they would think. What the post was really saying was, "Stop judging my life choice. To prove my point, I will judge your life choice (or something that might not have even been your choice) even more. So there! Take that!"

It dawned on me that this was human nature on display. Why is it so much easier to look on the bright side when we can look down on someone else?

This is not just a phenomenon of parenting.

When I was in fifth grade, I remember walking out of the locker room for gym class on the first day that was warm enough to wear shorts. I heard laughter and felt certain it was directed at my chicken legs.  (I still had no calves in site when I ran cross country and lifted daily in high school, so I was doomed biologically.) I remember feeling hurt, but I brushed it off and cheered myself up by thinking, "Oh yeah, well at least I am smarter than all of you."

And so at the ripe old age of ten, I began a long career of making myself feel better by looking down on others, usually without even realizing it.

I think it can be healthy when we learn to appreciate our strengths or the positives of our circumstance when confronted with weaknesses and challenges. This is not to say we should be blind to our situation, but rather, we can rest assured that no one is good at everything or experiences every advantage, but everyone is good at something and has something to contribute; I have gifts that I bring to the table.

But it is all too easy to corrupt an awareness of our strengths or good fortune into a self righteous comparison with others. This is especially true when we are feeling insecure in some way.

At least I look more attractive, run faster, write better, work harder, earn more money, sing louder, eat healthier, keep my house cleaner, act more responsibly, have a more prestigious title, drive a faster car, volunteer more of my time, go on better vacations, pray more, keep better friends, get more attention from the opposite sex, parent better, have seen more of the world, paint more beautifully, invest wiser, went to a better college, cook tastier, you-name-your-favorite-point-of-pride than that other person or group.

But I am convinced that this way of thinking does not have nearly the positive effects we think it will.  It is ultimately born out of jealousy and the need to feel important. The problem is, no matter how many merits we accumulate, there is always going to be someone else who is smarter, faster, and better than we are. We can never be satisfied in this striving. In the end, we have made someone else feel lower, and we still do not come out on top.

God's word says, "But if you are bitterly jealous and there is selfish ambition in your heart, don't cover up the truth with boasting and lying. For jealousy and selfishness are not God's kind of wisdom. Such things are earthly, unspiritual, and demonic. For wherever there is jealousy and selfish ambition, there you will find disorder and evil of every kind." (James 3:14-16) 

It also says, "For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you." (Romans 12:3) 

And finally, "But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me." (2 Corinthians 12:9) 

It is hard to love others when we are looking down on them, and it is difficult to really care about someone else's needs when we are focusing so intently on our own advancement and image. Not to mention, it really doesn't help us a whole lot, either.

Strong relationships and communities are built on honesty about our faults and hardships, celebrating each other's strengths and good fortune, and spurring each other on to grow. If we trust what God says in these passages, then we can let go of jealousy to embrace both our strengths and our weaknesses, because they both present opportunities for God to put his own greatness on display. And we can embrace the mantra that we are better as a group because of the amazing gifts every person brings to the table.

It is my hope that as I mature as a person, I will grow more secure in who I am in God's eyes, so that I can also grow more thankful for who others are, as well. It is my hope that I will stop making myself feel better by bringing others down.

I encourage you to consider what areas of your life might be points of unhealthy pride or comparison? How is self righteousness sucking life out of yourself and your community? How can you choose health by exercising thankfulness for what you have while also celebrating what others bring to the table?



p.s. I also recently read this great article about the comparison game among women and in parenting. It takes on a surprising and refreshing twist mid-article. And I think the attitudes and lessons it mentions apply to folks in every life situation. Check it out!  "No Leprechauns, No Valentine's Boxes, No Elves, and Why That is Okay"

Body Image During Pregnancy

A while back, I posted an awesome video of Jennifer Garner commenting about her latest "baby bump." I felt thankful to see a woman being proud of her body for the amazing feat of bearing children. In a culture that judges women based on appearances so much, it was a breath of fresh air!

I have heard so many pregnant women comment about feeling overweight and unattractive, and I've always thought, "Stop being dramatic. You're pregnant! You're supposed to look like that!"

Little did I expect that when I experienced pregnancy myself, my feelings about my body would be so mixed. Realizing that I am about to surpass my husband in body weight is hard, even though I know that weight is what's healthy for my baby. Seeing so many other parts of my body change beyond just the weight is hard, too. Things leak and sag and ache in ways they did not before. I need my husband to tie my shoes when we go on a walk (and I still have 12 weeks of getting rounder left to go!) Amidst these changes, I sometimes struggle to keep a positive attitude.

Some days, when I look in the mirror, I think my bump is pretty cute, I feel excited about what is to come, and I have joy about the ways my body was made for this purpose. Other days, I walk around calling myself "pudge muffin" or using any number of names that I know in my heart are not helpful or uplifting; I would never say those things about another woman, and yet I feel ok thinking them about myself.

Me at 26 weeks (left) and my friend
Lillian who is due a few weeks later.

Further complicating the pregnant body experience is the way it affects my interactions with others. During the first trimester, I wrote about how lonely it felt to be pregnant and feel sick, with almost no one else knowing. Now, I find the opposite is challenging. Something that began with the most intimate expression of love is now on public display to every stranger on the street; whether I want to share or not, my pregnancy is being carried with me on my physical body everywhere I go.

One particularly trying aspect of this is attempting to graciously listen and respond to others' comments and opinions about this body. (These comments are on top of all the opinions about breastfeeding, co-sleeping, modes of dress, discipline, and all of the other advice well-meaning folks share when they see my baby bump - but those are for another post altogether.)

Even though my weight is on track for my stage of pregnancy, and I have been told as much by my doctor, in just one single week, I had three different people - yes, three - look at my baby bump and ask me whether I was sure I was not having twins. (Aka, "You look enormous!") Each time, I laughed it off and reassured the person that I am not having twins, to the best of my and my doctor's knowledge. Other times, I have had people tell me I am not eating enough at an event and that I shouldn't be depriving myself. I usually just chuckle and let them know that I have eaten a meal beforehand.

But inside, I keep wondering why so many people (mostly women) think these comments are ok, especially when they are in direct response to the size of my abdomen.

Here is what I really wish others around me knew. Being pregnant is physically and psychologically hard! And if you've been through it before, you should know that better than anyone! I hope that personal experience can lead to extra sensitivity instead of extra license to critique.

Comments about a pregnant woman's size in almost any form can cut especially deep; not only do they single out a woman's appearance, but they also carry the added weight of critiquing a mom's ability to adequately care for her unborn child. If I can't even manage to feed myself correctly for the sake of my baby's health now, imagine the parenting disaster when the child comes out!

Anything along the lines of, "Wow, you're huge!" no matter how cleverly disguised or cutely worded, does not feel good. I am capable of tracking my own weight and making decisions about when I am hungry and what is best to eat. Even if I were visibly struggling with putting on more weight than is ideal, that would be a matter between my doctor and me. And then there are some women who struggle with not being able to put on enough weight during pregnancy and can feel belittled or saddened by kind-sounding comments about how they "don't even look pregnant."

A pregnant body is no less personal than any other body. Every woman carries pregnancy differently, and each person who experiences pregnancy has to come to grips with a new physical reality that is different than any she has experienced before.

I am sure I have made insensitive comments to pregnant women in the past and not even realized the implications. I may even still be doing it from time to time! Going through it myself, however, I can really see the importance of being positive - and when in doubt, silent.

Despite the experiences described above, it's not all bad.

For me, the second trimester involved increased energy and much more positivity about the life stage my husband and I are entering. And I can confidently say that my close friends and family have been amazingly supportive. My mom and sister helped me shop for maternity clothes and kept telling me how great I looked. My husband reminds me every day that he loves me, appreciates what I am doing for our child already, and thinks I am beautiful and sexy. And many friends, both young and old, have said things like, "You look great!" or, "You have that pregnancy glow!" that make me feel uplifted and encouraged. They have listened well and even laughed with me in response to my so not carrying twins! To these amazing folks, I say, keep doing what you're doing. I am so thankful for you!

19 week ultrasound - It's a boy!

Baby feet.

Jennifer Garner's Baby Bump

I saw this video posted recently, and I really appreciated it! I have not had children yet, but I hope to some day, and this just made my day. (And no, it's not what you think. Just watch!)

Thank you, Jennifer Garner, for your honesty and body positivity. So refreshing!

Colbie Caillat's "Try"

I hear this song on the radio a lot these days, but I feel like the video really enhanced my understanding of the meaning on a deeper level. So for those of you out there who are visual learners, I wanted to share.  It seems like so many of us struggle with image in one way or another, and this really spoke to my heart. I hope you too enjoy Colbie Caillat's new song, "Try."