Tips on Tuesday: Stop the Comparison Game

***Robyn's Note: Sorry this is so late getting posted. It's been 'one of those days' for the last four days. Better late than never.***

Do you ever hear yourself playing the one-up game? You know what I mean. The mental game where you one-up the person talking. We all do it...but we seem to get extra uppity regarding our children.

Why is it that when somebody has a brag about their child, we feel compelled to put them in their place by informing them of our child's accomplishment that is even better? I started calling it the Comparison Game.

A very wise friend told me when my first child was born to never make comparisons. Huh? I'm looking at the cutest child ever born and she says don't compare him to the ugly babies others had? She went on to tell me that her belief is, "A comparison is meant to put somebody down." Ouch. Not exactly what I wanted to hear at the time. However, her comments stuck with me and I've worked hard to stop the Comparison Game.

I've discovered that no matter how beautiful, smart, funny, fast, or whatever it is you're looking at for a measuring stick; there is always somebody who is more beautiful, smarter, funnier, faster, etc. Remember when the four-minute mile was considered impossible for humans to achieve? I do. I also remember when men living in space was a Sci-fi tall tale, but I've met an astronaut who lived on the International Space Station.

My tip today is to stop comparing yourself and your children to others. Let's work to lift one another up. Life is challenging enough as it is, we don't need to tear others down. Let's rejoice in each person for who they are and what they can accomplish. If we would all take this attitude, can you imagine what our country and our world would be?