Stop comparing yourself to 'past you'. Here's why I did!
"Comparison is the thief of joy" is phrase I find to be relatable and true. How about you?
I'm sure we have all been there where we've compared ourself to others, but what about when we've compared our current-self to our past-self. Have you done that too?
I definitely have. It's something that has put me in a negative mindset and made me very critical about myself. And it's something that I've had to practise not doing - which is easier said than done.
A few months ago I shared an Instagram post about this topic and I had so many messages from people who said they'd felt the same and could relate to everything I was saying.
I think this is a subject we all need reminding about and therefore I thought I'd write this blog about it too. So that you can read my story in case you missed it in the first place, or so that you can remind yourself about how we need to put things into perspective when feelings of comparison creeps in.
Back in 2018 I did a fitness photoshoot...
I trained hard for months to look a certain way, with 5-6 weekly gym sessions and tracking all of my food every day with minimal flexibility.
When I look back at the photos I think of two things.
Firstly, I remember not feeling like I looked good enough on the day. I remember thinking I wasn’t as ‘lean’ as I could have been. Which seems wild now.
Secondly, to get there I was living a life that is incomprehensible to me now. I don’t have time (nor do I want to) spend hours at the gym each week. I don’t want to track every single calorie I eat and say no to social events because they don’t “fit in”.
My 2024 life is different.
I have a one year old that I’m responsible for. And he takes up a lot of my time and energy. Workouts need to be short and efficient and fit into my busy schedule. Sometimes my workouts are simply carrying him around! And that’s OK.
It’s not only a time thing however, I want to be able to go for coffee and cake with my husband and son. I want to enjoy social events with my loved ones and enjoy the food and drinks on offer. I don’t want to be restrictive with my food to look a certain way.
If I compared '2018 me' to '2024-me' in terms of my physical appearance, or my performance in the gym, I might be disappointed.
But do you know why I’m not? Because I’m happy with what 2024 me has achieved (and is achieving) and my perspective and priorities have shifted.
Also, comparing myself to anyone else, including myself who was living life differently a few years ago, really isn't conducive to me feeling good about myself right now, and/or making progress towards my current goals.
So keep that in mind next time you find yourself looking at old pictures of yourself and comparing yourself to you.
Don’t compare yourself to how you used to look, or how you used to perform.That person is probably living a very different life to you right now.
Focus on now-you and what you can achieve in this moment, because that's the version that matters the most.
Thanks for reading - I hope this was helpful. I'm always here to chat if you ever want help working on your goals, whatever they may be right now.
Sian xx