A few posts back, I spoke of the way many of us (at our age) compare ourselves to younger women…and make ourselves unhappy with the results.  Today, as I read the latest post by Danielle LaPorte, a woman who inspires me ( no wait…a woman who continually blows my mind!) her post was about comparing.  www.daniellelaporte.com   

Here’s what she had to say, “Comparison is a slippery slope to envy and for the most part, envy wastes energy that could be put towards getting what you want or optimizing what you have.”  

“We must have the daring to be nothing but ourselves if we are to know what our true power is.” 

Here’s another quote that I like: “Why compare yourself with others? No one in the entire world can do a better job of being you…than you.”   Unknown

It seems that our mind is wired to compare, and if the comparison can be neutral, and logical, that would be fine…but negative comparing starts early and hardly lets up as we get older. Unless we choose to break the cycle!   There is another site I read, that you may enjoy:  www.tinybuddha.com  which offers, “simple wisdom for comples lives.”   They offered a great solution to all of the comparing, competing and quantifying that our minds want to do…they advise us to ‘redirect the comparison to a past and present self.’  What a great thought!  Only compare yourself now, to yourself then…see how much you’ve learned?  How much experience you have?  The wisdom you can share based on your experiences?  The acceptance you can offer to others…and the knowledge of how valuable that can be.

The only good thing I can see about comparing ourselves to others is when the comparison inspires us to emulate someone else’s good traits, or follow their good example.  With our ability to see, search and sort through so much information, there are many, many things to choose to emulate! There are many, many good examples out there to follow. There are many, many wise women to learn from. It’s never too late to change and grow, to discover and enjoy ourselves! 

“Every block of stone has a statue inside and it is the task of the sculptor to discover it.”  Michaelangelo

Start chipping away at old ideas, old habits, old ways of thinking about yourself.  Stop agreeing with your parent’s ideas, or society’s ideas, or even your kid’s ideas about what constitutes a woman, or what makes a woman a lady. Become the goddess you were meant to be!  And fall in love with your unfolding, evolving  self.  This year, give yourself and others the gift of a sexy, wonderful, confident YOU!

I’ve saved my favorite quote for last: “Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don’t matter, and those who matter don’t mind.”  Dr. Suess

Happy Holidays, and Blessings in the New Year!

                               XO Donna