What are we watching this week?

The following is a TEDx Talk on the Culture of Comparison by entrepreneur and mental health counselor Bea Arthur. She talks about how comparing ourselves to others can confuse our ambitions.

She says people across all age groups, social groups, and backgrounds focus on comparing what others have against what we have or more often, don’t have – an issue that social media has only made worse.

To counter this, Bea promotes the concept of alignment or focusing on what we want in life, not what other people expect of us or what other people are doing with their lives. She suggests that this shift from comparison to alignment can help us become our own person with our own purpose.

Watch the Culture of Comparison (13-minute watch)

What are we reading this week?

The Comparison Trap by Rebecca Webber, published by Psychology Today, explores the human tendency to compare ourselves with others. It’s a proactive exploration that recognizes both the negative and positive impacts of comparison. It includes hints and tips to help us avoid the less beneficial bait of the comparison trap.

The idea of self-esteem being a self-fulfilling prophecy really stood out to us. It speaks to the power of the mind and the old phrase, “Whether you think you can or you think you can’t, you’re probably right.”

Read The Comparison Trap (10-minute read)

Who are we quoting this week?

You are no better than anyone else, and no one else is better than you.”

– Katherine Johnson

Joe Biden, President of the United States, grew up with a play on these words from his parents, “No one’s better than you, Joe. But you’re better than nobody.” Does your family have any staple phrases or beliefs?