On Comparison...

In this community, I think we all tend to emphasize the fitness & nutrition aspects of our journey. But, truthfully, I think it’s just as important to talk about the mental challenges we face along the way - even if it’s just to say: “You are not alone.”

Whether it’s comparing yourself to your mentors, struggling to fit into that “ideal” body shape or using food as an emotional crutch, I’ve gone through EACH AND EVERY ONE of these feelings at one point in my journey - and it sure as hell won’t be the last.

One of the biggest mental obstacles I find most people face is the comparison trap.

I do it, you do it - we all do it. It’s in our nature to want to be better, faster, stronger, and more successful than the next person. However, almost 100% of the time, comparing ourselves to others just leaves us feeling the exact opposite - unhappy, incapable, and unsuccessful. One of my favourite quotes about comparison is by Theodore Roosevelt, who said: “Comparison is the thief of joy.”

Comparison. Is. The. Thief. Of. Joy.

Remember that. Use it as a mantra whenever you find yourself caught in the soul-sucking vortex that is Comparison. Say it over and over as many times as you need. Write it on a post-it note and stick it on everything that triggers you.

Comparison is the thief of joy.

It’s one thing to be inspired by someone and to use them as a source of motivation, and another to actually compare your progress, your body, and your life to that person’s. Comparison is like running in a hamster wheel and hoping you’ll actually get somewhere. There will ALWAYS be another fitness model or mentor that you’ll look up to, who will challenge and inspire you to reach your goals, but there will never be another YOU. And sometimes, this means working hard for the body you've always wanted, while also understanding your own body's limitations.

So, tell me - what mental challenges have you faced throughout your journey that you’d like me to talk about? What obstacles are you currently struggling with that has been preventing you from reaching your full potential?

I’ll be honest with you, one of my biggest struggles over the past few weeks has been accepting that my lower body is the first thing to shrink during a cut and the last thing to grow during a bulk. Unfortunately, I just don’t have the bone structure to give me the proportions that I would love to have. Now, I could either let this completely ruin my self worth, or I can work with what I’ve got. There’s no point in trying to fit into a cookie-cutter mould.

Instead, I‘m choosing to break the mould - to be different, to be unique, and to be the best version of myself I can possibly be. And I think that's all we can ever ask for, am I right?

With love and wellness,

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