What if ‘I wish I was like…’ was a reminder that we are all amazing, resourceful human beings?
So often we dwell on what we haven’t done or what’s missing.
When we compare we think about what they’ve done or have that we haven’t. Or we think I could never have done it in the constraints they had.
On the other hand we could dwell on what we have done.
Or in the case of comparison, maybe they also didn’t know it was possible until they did it.
What if when we compare we focus on the thing we want or admire?
The thing is we all compare, yet we never consider that we might be someone’s point of comparison, their ‘I wish I was like’, we never consider the qualities they see that are in us.
So when we compare, what if we just focused on acknowledging our collective remarkableness?
What if comparison or moments of ‘I wish I was like…’ are really a reminder that all humans are amazing and that being human, we too are amazing?
What amazing things would be possible if in seeing how others are amazing we remember that we too are amazing?
And if, like me, there is still a niggle that says ‘okay we’re all amazing but am I really as amazing as everyone else I know is amazing?’
To that consider:
What are the things we do that time and habit mean we take for granted which would astound others?
And if still unsure, ask others.
To avoid seeming positive for positivity’s sake, it isn’t just empowering to seek the positive but essential to make the best decisions.
Nancy Kline, in Time to Think, talks about Negative Norm Reality Theory, which highlights that our naturally negative and self-critical bias means we make decisions with an incomplete picture.
When it comes to decision-making it seems valuable to have as complete a picture as possible. The alternative would be like living a life only based on doing things founded on knowing what we’re not good at, rather than making decisions incorporating what we’re also good at.
So when we next compare what if we allow it to act as a reminder that our admiration is at the amazing creativity and resourcefulness that we all have?
Then at least we would have a more complete picture from which to base being our own, unique, remarkable, amazing selves.
