Photography by Xavier Photographic Art. St. Petersburg Central Arts District
We have always heard that competition makes us better in some way because we work harder to be “better” than someone else at something else. It is easy to give in to the thought that we rise because of the thrill of competition – the rush to beat the next person. We compare our performance, our looks, our success, our lives to that of others. The result is that we are giving away our happiness, our sense of power and self-empowerment and by doing so we set ourselves up for disappointment.
We get better by doing better. You cannot do that if you are outwardly focused because then you play the game of if only. If only I was prettier. If only I had more money. If only I had gone to a better school. If only I was . . . it never ends. We are enough. We have what we need to do what needs to be done in our own way. So if you feel competitive or find yourself comparing yourself to others and coming up short take a deep breath, look in the mirror and there you will see the only competition that you need and there is no one to compare.