I got a new shirt, well, I got a new shirt a few months ago, that I love. The color is a bright green, which is my favorite, and there’s a skeleton hand on it which makes it even better.
But the message? That’s why I bought the shirt.
“Comparison is the thief of all joy.”
Wow.
I remember way back in 2nd grade, we had to memorize weekly character qualities. It’s amazing how you remember certain things. I know my mum had a few favorites that she hammered into us more than others.
Contentment: happy with what I have
That was one of her favorites which my siblings and I can still recite.
But wait, does that mean that we shouldn’t want to improve? We should be satisfied with where we are in life and not ever strive for more?
No.
Because we still need to grow.
We need to set goals. I’m strong now, but I want to be stronger to be able to do my job better. My BF% could be better which would improve my physical health. It’s like gardening: I am content with my lavender now, but I have plans to rearrange their bed so they can grow to be even better and other flowers will complement their beauty.
Because maybe we’re not doing our best, maybe we’ve gotten lazy.
I can compare myself to myself: this time last year, I was getting up at 0700 to do 10minutes to an hour of yoga before work every day. This year, I’m hitting snooze on my alarm or scrolling through social media until I have to get out of bed for work instead of turning the alarm off, getting out of bed without touching the phone, and doing 10min to an hour of yoga. What I try very hard to do is avoid comparing myself with others.
The skeleton hand on that shirt is holding a cell phone. The intent behind the image is obvious: our culture now spends more time comparing ourselves to others than being content with ourselves or learning to grow to be content with ourselves.
How often do we hear “I need my arms to be smaller” or “I need to get rid of this tire around my belly” or “these love handles have to go…” Surgeons make a fortune off insecurities and discontentment. Those quick fix pills and shakes return time and time again, just under different names, because people are trained to constantly compare themselves to others and are willing to pay for what they think will make them happy.
Let’s say those quick fixes work. Someone takes a pill with every meal because the bottle promises it will help you “burn fat while you eat.” That someone loses 40-pounds in a month. They’re happy and content. . .until they talk with someone else lost 40# AND went down 2 clothing sizes. Now they’re looking critically at their wardrobes, window shopping online, and thinking that the clothes 2 sizes smaller are cuter than what’s available in their current size. They quit taking the pills and look for a different quick fix and gain back that 40-pounds. The endless cycle.
Let’s go back to contentment.
If you learn to be content with yourself as you are but accept there’s room to grow and improve your best, then you’re more likely to avoid the quick fixes and the roller coaster of emotions and health problems that come with them. You’re also more likely to set deeper goals as in
- I want to be able to play with my kids or grandkids on the park
- I want to be able to move furniture by myself when cleaning or rearranging
- I want to be able to move the bag of potting soil from the ground to my work station by myself
- I want to run a 5k in the fall of this year
- I want to walk in the 1-mile walk in the fall of this year
- I want to get off this medicine by the end of this year (talk with your doctor about this one, and don’t be afraid to get a 2nd opinion from another licensed doctor if yours doesn’t want to help you reach this goal)
None of those are based on appearance, but as you put in the effort and work to reach those goals, you will likely see some physical appearance benefits too – skin glowing, clothes fit nicer, hair is healthier, etc.
Summary: Don’t negatively compare yourself to yourself. Don’t negatively compare yourself to anyone else. Contentment is not laziness, it’s not an excuse to avoid Growth.
Legacy Health & Fitness 
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