There’s one thing I wanted to briefly touch on, as we’re in the early stages of the New Year.

While the reality is January 1st is just another day, there’s always a special feeling when the clock turns past midnight, and you know you’re in a new month, and a new year. It just feels different, even though the weather outside is the same.

This year, building off of last year, and the year prior, I see more and more people committed to bettering themselves and their lives. There is a stronger commitment to being more connected to feelings, to making better choices for mental health, to eating better. For the most part, there’s been really positive change in the last few years, even though life still feels really hard.

One thing I am still noticing a ton- there’s still so much comparing happening. No matter what  you’re going through- good or bad, are you comparing yourself to other people? Are you comparing your life, and how you’re handling things to other people, especially people on social media you may not know that well?

I’m here today to ask you to stop. Stop worrying about how well other people seem to be handling things. That’s a big word there- seem. We all have very rich, and complex inner lives, and very little of that gets seen by other people. Some people hide their struggles better than others, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t struggling.

If you’re going through a rough time, I ask you to only worry about yourself. And I don’t mean worry like stress, I mean worry as in you only need to give energy to yourself. Don’t compare yourself to your co-workers, or your friends. We’re all different. Turn your focus to your feelings, to self care, to being kind to yourself. If it’s work, or grief, or challenges created by the pandemic, I challenge you this year to be more compassionate to yourself, and to other people.

Mostly, I challenge you to let go of the idea that everyone around you is doing better than you, handling it better than you. You do you, that’s all that matters. Be compassionate with yourself, and be compassionate with others.

Huge hugs!

Robin