We all grow at our own pace, Dr. Vidhya Nair aka Dr GoodVibes explains how comparison can kill your self-growth?
Highlights:
- Growth will not come until you stop comparing
- Ask for Help when required – Normalise going to therapy
- Simple techniques to keep your mental health in check
We all are different and we all grow at our own pace, right? We all know this thing but do we actually make peace with this fact. How many of us do not constantly compare ourselves with others? We always believe that the grass is greener on the other side and focus so much on others’ achievements, their life that we often forget to focus on ourselves. We forget our growth, we forget what we actually want and who we really are?
Recently, we reached out to Dr Vidhya Nair, a Delhi based Mental Health expert to discuss why it is important to understand that we all do things at our own pace? Constant comparison will take away your mental peace and will also kill your growth.
First and foremost it is important to understand – “We all are different and have different purposes”
The fact remains that we are all different and we have different purposes to fulfil. You cannot compare a money plant with a coconut tree. They look different, they grow differently and they also have different purposes. But as they say, it’s easier said than done. In the world of social media, it’s really hard not to compare yourself with others. Be it in terms of their relationship, dream job or even your dream home. Well, comparisons steal our joy, our paychecks and our sanity.
We constantly use our energy to be like someone or just try to keep up. The truth is we need to break the comparison cycle because it’s a game we can never win.
Dr Vidhya Nair while talking to us pointed out that we are not only genetically different but we are also different in terms of socio-cultural aspects as well. In order to grow, we need to look after your needs, what do you need and what do you come from? She further added when you compare yourself with others, you are actually neglecting your own needs. If you compare yourself with others and feel jealous and anxious sometimes – there is nothing to be ashamed of.
It’s natural but you need to slowly divert attention from others to yourself. Take baby steps every day and you will create the life that you really want to live.
There are a few things that you can do to reframe things in your head:
- Practice gratitude: Be thankful for the things that you have in life that will attract more abundance and that’s a proven fact.
- Acknowledge your emotions: Okay if you are feeling jealous or competent, acknowledge the feeling and try to reframe the situation in your mind.
- Be Happy for others and Praise them: It is always good to praise others and uplift them when they achieve something great in life.
- Ask for things that you want in life: Remember you cannot get your dream job without putting any effort into it. A lot of times we miss out on so many things because we don’t ask for them. So work on your goals, it will definitely bring a sense of contentment.
Comparison, Competition and events not unfolding the way we wanted can lead to Anxiety and Sadness – So why is it important to ask for help when you need it?
2021 was a tough year for all of us. The entire nation was grieving the deaths caused by the second wave of Corona. Sometimes it becomes difficult to control our emotions and there could be various reasons behind it. Be it a loss of a loved one, heartbreak, not getting things that we truly wanted and so many other factors. Well, we have discussed mental health so much in the last two years, but still, we don’t normalize going to therapy just like going to the gym. Dr GoodVibes pointed out it is important to ask for help when you need it.
We all have to understand that the mind is a part of us. When we don’t come out for help, we are neglecting an important part of our body. Instead of thinking “Hum Pagal Hai” it’s just a part of your body that needs attention and care. For example – A diabetic person doesn’t stop living his or her life ( they live it but keep a check on their lifestyle) Similarly, your mental health doesn’t define you – all you need to do is – Pay attention to it and take care of it.
Basic Techniques that can be practised to keep your mental health in check!
There are a few things that you can do for mental health care. Dr Vidhya pointed out some easiest ways to keep your mental health under check:
- Physical Activity: You can go out for a walk or just stand at your place and stretch for a while. And if you want to just go running or dancing, it will really help you.
- Meditation: It’s a difficult one – Our mind is always on a hunt. It always keeps processing things but meditation is a long term thing. You need to be committed. It trains your mind to be in the present moment. You need to train it every day.
- Journaling: You can journal your emotions. The first and foremost thing should be letting out your emotions. We keep burying our emotions and this leads to a lot of mental health issues.
- Breathing: We feel that it is such an easy thing to do. But we don’t realize that we are not taking deep breaths. You can take deep breaths and will bring you back to a balanced state.
Note: These practices don’t help you to deal with your core issues. For that, you need to consult a professional.
