What will it take for me to be enough to myself?

For the longest time, I believed that being enough meant measuring up to others. I thought if I could just be as beautiful, successful, or outgoing as “her,” I would finally feel content. But comparison wasn’t guiding me towards self-love—it was keeping me stuck, chasing an image of someone I wasn’t meant to be.

It’s easy to fall into the trap of comparing. She had more friends. She made more money. She walked into a room with confidence I could only dream of. I spent so much time seeing myself through the lens of what I lacked, failing to notice what I already had. Comparison shaped my reality, convincing me that I was always behind, always less. But here’s the truth: our worth is defined not by how we measure up to others, but by how we choose to see ourselves.

Comparison held me back from being a true supporter of others. It turned potential connections into silent competitions. I remember metaphorically “trying on shoes that didn’t fit,” copying paths that weren’t meant for me, simply because someone else wore them with confidence. But chasing someone else’s confidence is like walking in shadows. I wasn’t searching for the right shoe; I was searching for the courage to wear my own. And I realized—I already had my own shoes. I had passions in drawing, design, baking, and more. My problem wasn’t the shoes but the belief that they weren’t enough.

Confidence came when I stopped comparing and started owning my path. I began doing more of what I loved, leaning into my strengths, and embracing my unique pace. The lesson? Start where you are, with what you love. Test your own path. When you commit to your passions, confidence doesn’t feel like something you have to chase—it becomes something you build with every step.

Not every milestone needs to be monumental. Maybe it’s choosing an outfit that feels authentically you. Maybe it’s setting goals based on your health, not a trend. Maybe it’s waking up early to read, or simply engaging in conversations with genuine curiosity. Growth is quiet and personal. And when you stop comparing, you find peace in the everyday moments. You realize life isn’t a race to be in front of others but a walk alongside them—celebrating their success while finding joy in your own.

Theodore Roosevelt said it best: “Comparison is the thief of joy.” True joy comes when you measure yourself against who you were yesterday and who you strive to become tomorrow. Use others as inspiration, but not as a scale for your worth. When you shift your focus to your personal growth, you unlock a motivation that doesn’t run dry. You begin to celebrate progress over perfection. You find strength in your own pace and pride in your personal wins.

So when you find yourself comparing, pause and ask: How have I grown? What am I doing today that brings me closer to the person I want to be? Because the happiness you seek isn’t hiding in someone else’s achievements—it’s right beside you, in every step you take on your own path.

Lift others up in their tough times, and they’ll do the same for you. Focus on your own test in life—because everyone’s exam is different. Behind every success is a story of unseen struggle. Don’t compare your weaknesses to another’s strengths.

And if you keep looking beyond yourself, you might just miss the joy that’s been walking beside you all along.

When you bring those around you up in their down time they will do the same for you.

Everyone has their own test to take. So remember what yours’ is and focus on it to pass!

Behind someones’ greatest achievements is a line of countless struggles that we don’t see.

Don’t compare your weaknesses to the strengths of others.

If you keep looking beyond yourself, you miss out on the happiness that is right beside you.