Comparing yourself to others and focusing on what other people think about you is bad for mental health. The happiest people don’t even think about others, they focus on themselves and being better than they were previously. If you find yourself spending mental energy on what other people are doing and thinking, make a plan to distract yourself, like watching a funny video or snapping a rubber band on your wrist.

Redirect Your Thinking

Worrying what other people think about you can cause anxious thoughts, but it is possible to detach from them and treat them as just one possible source of information about what is going to happen next.

Maintain a Journal

When good things happen to you, write them down. Every night, write down at least three good things that happened that day. Every couple of weeks, you will be able to go back and see all of the good things that happened to you while you were focusing on yourself and not worrying about how other people feel about you.

Focus on Yourself

Take time to invest in yourself. Pick up a new hobby or skill that will make you happy. Consider where you want to be in five years and focus on taking steps towards that goal rather than being preoccupied with what others think about you. Embrace your authentic self. Being your authentic self is the first step to success. Although this phrase of ‘authentic self’ is hot right now, the concept behind it is not.

Each of us can gain ground in being our authentic self and letting go of what others think of us on our road to self-improvement. We can take simple steps that help us turn this concept into reality in each of our own lives. We can practice self-acceptance, reduce time spent comparing ourselves to others and we can employ the art of letting go.

Practicing Self-Acceptance is Key

Self-acceptance is foundational to living our authentic selves. Love and accept who you are and appreciate your uniqueness. Are you perfect? Yes! Yes, you are perfect. No one else can be you. You are a unique human being with skills and experiences that no one else has.

That is a powerful reminder of the gift you are to the world. Forgive your mistakes and find ways to savor your successes for a bit longer. We live in a fast-paced world where we rush from one moment to the next and rarely take time to even realize all that we are accomplishing each day.

Stop Comparing Yourself to Others

The less time you spend comparing yourself to others, the greater chance you will have the effect of increasing your self-acceptance. There is always someone richer, smarter and thinner than you. There is always someone with less money, more fat and not as intelligent as you too. This applies to wealth, relationships, physical appearance, and even your core personality. Comparing your marriage to the neighbor’s marriage does not improve your marriage. Neither does compare yourself to the uber-fit stay-at-home-mom or the rich guy sitting in first class.

You can observe these relationships and people and take away learnings, but comparing yourself to them does not benefit your growth. If you find yourself spending a lot of time wishing for some other life, put the brakes on that line of thinking. Acknowledge what you want, but remind yourself that you are the perfect you and you are on a journey to self-improvement. It might be something you aspire too, and it is okay that you don’t have it yet. Let the time spent comparing yourself to others go.

Versuasion Pakistan – Fareeha Robert