comparison

So. I come to find out that parenthood can be tough. Hahah, who am I kidding? I learned that the second I had to give up caffeine during pregnancy. But really. In all seriousness, I've discovered that the human tendency to compare ourselves with others sort of escalates once you have a baby. Every parent has a different philosophy on  feeding, sleeping, schedules, soothing, discipline methods,  etc....Every mom has heard, "are they rolling/sitting/crawling/walking yet?". It's a constant period of questioning. I definitely know that people have the best intentions in asking, believe me. I'm queen of asking friends questions and wanting advice. But with all of these differences and questions, if you're not careful, things can really get ugly really fast. See, the more you keep comparing yourself and your life to anyone else's, the more you question yourself and the decisions you are making. You can quickly lose sight of what is important: the health and happiness of your child (not to mention, your own sanity!) 

Every person and every child is different. Duh. So why do we get stuck thinking we all need to do it the same way, despite different circumstances, preferences, and personalities? Here me out on this: I'm going to make every effort to not get stuck in the rut of comparison.

P.S. Comparison is not just a struggle for moms, did you know that? Gosh, it's everywhere and effects e v e r y o n e. Think success. Everyone wants to know "what you do" for a living, to somehow gauge your success. People compare cars, engagement rings, athleticism, travel plans, intellect, wealth, business, talent, etc. The items to compare

never ends.

So....

"Stop judging and evaluating yourself, for this is not your role. Above all, stop comparing yourself with other people. This produces feelings of pride or inferiority; sometimes, a mixture of both. I lead each of my children along of path that is uniquely tailor-made for him or her. Comparing is not only wrong, it is also meaningless// Don't look for affirmation in the wrong places: your own evaluations, or those of other people. The only source of real affirmation is My unconditional Love// I died for your sins, so that I might clothe you in My garment of salvation. This is how I see you: radiant"// 

excerpt from Jesus Calling