As we present our Honors Awards this month, I’ve had the pleasure of sitting down with some remarkable people doing meaningful work in their communities. It’s genuinely inspiring — and it makes me want to do more.
Then, when I habitually scroll through social media, I see the highlight reels, the accomplishments, the shiny snapshots of people seemingly doing it all — and it makes me want to do more.
Maybe I do have some room to grow when it comes to personal altruism, and maybe I could stand to spend a little more time exploring my kids’ interests with them. But I can’t do everything. And when I get stuck in that mindset, focused on what I’m not doing, it drains the energy I need for the things I am doing.
“Comparison is the thief of joy.” That quote is often attributed to Theodore Roosevelt, and it’s even more relevant now, with screens full of other people’s lives constantly in our faces.
There will always be someone doing more than you, and there will always be someone doing less.
So if you feel inspired, and you have the capacity to take something on, then by all means, do more. That’s something personal that each person has to decide for themselves. Is there an area where you could be giving back? A small way you could contribute to that nonprofit? A skill you can offer? Some extra time you can volunteer? Can you budget a few dollars for a donation?
But if you’re already stretched too thin, don’t take on extra simply to keep pace with someone else. Everyone needs to leave space for their own well-being too. What’s the saying — you can’t feed someone from an empty basket? Something like that.
In our fast-paced world, we don’t always value rest and reflection, but we should. Humans aren’t meant to always push themselves to exhaustion, and our brains aren’t designed for the constant onslaught of information. We’re pretty close to the top of the food chain, right? Like lions? We deserve to nap sometimes too!
Perhaps it’s worth taking a moment to reassess how we spend our time. What’s truly valuable? What’s no longer serving us, our goals, our community? Let go of what’s weighing us down and focus our energy where it can make the greatest impact.
Let other people’s stories encourage, not pressure us. Inspiration is a gift. Comparison is a distraction.
