The Inspire blog

You ever look at someone and just say to yourself, “I wish I had her life… then I’d be so free, I’d be another me”? (Barbie said it first…credits to the queen.)

We might not like to admit it, but comparison is a universal language. It sneaks in quietly, mid scroll, mid group chat, mid congratulatory LinkedIn post.

Especially around this time of year. You know the drill…

🌞 Summer.
💼 Internships.
🎓 Graduation photos.
📱 The Instagram recap.
🧳 Vacations.
🚀 Life updates galore.

If you’re a college or high school student, you’re probably very aware: it’s the season of leveling up. Everyone seems to be moving forward, posting, upgrading, vacationing, and #Blessing your feed. Meanwhile, maybe you’re just… still here, refreshing your email.

Judgement free zone…

Let’s Talk About Comparison for a Second

According to Social Comparison Theory, we evaluate our self-worth by comparing ourselves to others. It’s human nature. We look sideways to figure out if we’re doing okay. We measure our progress in other people’s achievements.

Sure, comparison might fuel your hustle (looking at you, LinkedIn warriors), but it can just as easily drain your spirit. Something no-one says is that…

Being happy for others doesn’t mean you’re not sad for yourself.
Both feelings can live in the same body.

You might be genuinely thrilled for your friend’s White House internship… and also feel like a complete failure for still refreshing Handshake and seeing zero new postings. You might clap for your classmate’s dream grad school and still wonder, Why not me?

It Hurts…

I know it’s trendy to say “Everyone is going through something behind the scenes.” but it hurts to feel like you’re behind.
It hurts to feel like you’re not “living your best life” when it seems like everyone else is living five lives in one.
It hurts to feel stuck while others are posting champagne pics in Bora Bora ( I heard this from that one MSA video on YouTube)  or acceptance letters to That One Fellowship.

It hurts when you feel like you’ve got so much to give… but nowhere to put it.

There’s no sugarcoating any of that.

Here’s the part where I should give you a quote, an affirmation, or some digestible advice. But I don’t have one. And no shade, but ‘just be happy’ and ‘trust the process’ don’t always land when you’re knee-deep in your feelings.

But I will tell you though that your feelings are valid. The question is…

What Are You Doing With What You Have Now?

Tough truth:
You could land that dream internship and still feel stuck.
You could move to that big city and still feel small.
You could get that offer letter and still not feel “enough.”

I don’t think it is about where you are rather how you move from there.

Let’s imagine life like chess for a moment.
Even the most powerful piece on the board? Can’t do anything if it doesn’t make a move. Same goes for you.

And because I’m feeling especially geeky today, let me invoke Newton’s First Law:

“An object at rest stays at rest unless acted upon by an external force.”

You = object ( Yes I went there)

So… What is Your External Force?

For me, it’s layered:

• My background, where I’ve come from.
• The people who believe in me.
• The ones I hope to uplift.
• The version of myself I’m becoming.
• My Faith.

Sometimes, your force is hope.
Sometimes it’s anger.
Sometimes it’s the whisper of your younger self saying, “Hey there!”

You Can Sit In It. Or Sit Up.

You are allowed to feel the sting of being “left behind.”
You are allowed to be in your feelings for a bit.
You are even allowed to take a break.

But eventually you will have to move.

Because even in your stuckness, someone else is praying for the very thing you’re calling mediocre.
Your school? Your degree? Your skills? Your access to Wi-Fi and mentors and quiet spaces to dream?

And if you just so happen to be the one having your Barbie-core-glow-up, I’m clapping for you too.

Use the access.
Hold the door open.
Keep it real, someone out there is watching your story, wondering if they’ll ever get a plot twist too.