Hi Diana,

I can somehow totally relate to how you’re feeling right now probably because a couple of years ago, I was in a very similar position to what you are in now. It was like this: I had taken up a new job, had a boss who was about ten years older to me and was super-successful in whatever she did (or so it seemed). She was beautiful, rich, talented and instantly likeable (everything that I wanted to be myself but wasn’t). And that put me in the dumps. I used to try to concentrate (unsuccessfully at most times) in office but got behind in my work, and started comparing myself with every single person I came across, in the real as well as virtual worlds. Each time I came onto facebook, I would see my friends enjoying themselves, traveling to exotic locales with their partners, partying away with food and drinks and everything else. The result – I started suffering from depression and retreated into my shell, feeling all alone and forlorn.

And then my mother was the only one who could break into it (thank God for that!). She taught me how comparison was the death of joy of any sort. She taught me how people will start automatically respecting you if you are content to be simply yourself and don’t try to compare or compete with the people around you. And last but not the least: She taught me how I should compare myself to myself, to see how much I’ve grown, what I’ve achieved and what progress I’ve made towards my goals. And this made my life simpler and me happier.