Why you should Stop Comparing Apples with Oranges

            “Comparison is the thief of joy.” —Theodore Roosevelt Have you ever wonder why people say “that’s like comparing apples with oranges?” I have never really given it much thought but I recently stumbled upon an article that left me with a deep impression. The author said, “Everyday, we are comparing apples with oranges – comparing our insides with other people’s outsides” i.e. comparing two incomparable items together, comparing items that cannot be practically compared. Comparing how we feel on the inside with the outer smiles we see on people’s faces; with the confidence we believe they exhibit on the outside; with the pictures we see them post on social media; we see all these outer exhibitions of people and we conclude that life is so easy for them and difficult for you, that they’ve got it all together while you are still struggling, they are confident, bold and not afraid whilst you are timid, weak and afraid. But that conclusion is wrong because the premise on which the analysis is based upon is simply wrong. You can’t compare what you see people do on the outside with the way you feel on the inside, a valid comparison will be to compare how you feel on the inside with the way they feel on the inside. For example, are you always uncertain before you give a presentation? Not sure if they will love your idea but then you look over at your colleague and he/ she seems so poised and so together. Well the truth is, that colleague who has got that confident look, speaking in that confident voice may be terrified on the inside, you just can’t see it. Putting an end to the habit of comparison is something we must do for a content and happy life. Here are 5 reasons why you stop that habit now:

• Making comparisons is just a waste of your precious time – it adds nothing to you but steals a lot from you, especially your joy and happiness.
• Making comparisons often results to resentment.
• We compare our “worst-self” with other people’s “best-self” which makes it an unfair comparison.
• Once you start comparing, there is no end as the things we can compare ourselves with are endless.
• It is unwise to engage in comparison – it adds no value to you but damages your self-esteem.

Have you ever compared yourself with a friend or a colleague and you concluded that life is good for them and they are baling tight. Only for them, to open up to you about an issue they are presently dealing with or have dealt with in the past and you realize that they’ve got their own struggles, struggling with their own battles and battling with their own demons. You just never know… Galatians 6:4 “But let every person carefully scrutinize and examine and test his own conduct and his own work. He can then have the personal satisfaction and joy of doing something commendable [in itself alone] without [resorting to] boastful comparison with his neighbour.”