Comparison is the thief of joy

She had it all - a seven-figure salary, a debt-free house, a comfortable lifestyle. She was proud of all that she had accomplished.

One day, she came across someone earning an eight-figure salary. Self-doubt crept in. Was she not good enough? Maybe she should have asked for that promotion. Was she top management material? Why didn’t she pursue her start-up idea? Was the fear of failure keeping her from reaching her true potential?

She picked up a magazine featuring the 10 most beautiful houses in the country. Hers seemed ordinary and pale in comparison. Maybe it needed a coat of paint, some more furniture – expensive looking furniture and art work from renowned artists. She just had two house plants – others had managed to make their home an oasis of greenery. Maybe she just needed a bigger, more spacious house. Her current home overlooked the street and all she could hear were sounds of the traffic. How lovely would it be to have a sea-facing house and constantly be calmed by the sound of the waves!

She put down the magazine and opened up Instagram on her phone. All her virtual friends seemed to have perfect lives – one on the red carpet in Cannes, another sipping on margaritas in Hawaii, yet another holidaying in Venice. The last time she took a holiday was three months back – it was a road trip with her best friend. They had a great time, sure, but not a single insta-worthy moment. She could never afford a luxurious vacation at exotic locations. If only she were born into a wealthy family, her life would have been perfect!

She was now miserable. Did not matter that she never even wanted those things in the first place. Nothing really changed, yet everything changed.