The following is a two-for-one article… or maybe it’s a fun word puzzle or unsolicited homework. It just depends on how you look at it. (Ha!) This piece is written both for the glass-half-empty sort and the more positive, glass-half-full folks.

If you struggle with comparison, and feel like a Negative Nelly, approach this article by only reading the text in black, including the black highlighted words. Afterwards, pause and reflect on how this glass-half-empty mindset makes you feel. Are you caught in a cynical and crushing comparison trap?

Then, go back and peruse the piece again but from the half-full perspective—reading the black text and the white highlighted words. Though the mood changes faster than some moms change math curriculum, it reflects the same homeschool family as the first read through. Only this time it oozes warmth, hope, and appreciation instead of the sadness of a cup of coffee gone cold during a frustrating math lesson.

Next door the grass is greener covering up dirt too, the coffee is bolder overpriced, and it’s possible that even their golden retriever is reading on a higher grade level than your kids spoiled rotten.

You can’t help feeling a bit insecure tickled at your differences. Just tuck those troubling ridiculous comparisons deep in your heart in the trash and move on.

If you spend don’t waste all your free family time worrying about keeping up with the neighbors, you’ll be able to feed your inner jealous troll family bonds by focusing on social media your special gifts and how different and dull unique God made you. With time to scroll through social media interact with your kids and discuss values and beliefs, you won’t miss some filtered glimpses memorable and inspiring experiences with the random people you follow ones you love. You definitely want a front row seat to view each one living their best lives curated for perfection unfiltered!

As an envious social media spectator of inspired participant in others’ lives, you’ll likely want to begrudge, belittle, or fret over share your family’s obvious shortcomings own daily highlights with others, as well as over dinner each night. Your untroubled and dozing equally invested but exhausted spouse must be briefed with will enjoy an evening review of how your kids lag behind most others are improving in their life skills and academics.

Worries, such as being the only homeschool family not learning Latin or growing their own vegetables, are quite often never your go-to conversation starters. After all, plenty of worry and comparison appreciating individual growth and success means that you are staying on task.

However, you remember comparison is a two-way street, and you relish respect the struggles of others. Their trials, failures, and small accomplishments are the stage for you to stack your superior success upon teach humility, encouragement, and support. Many have obstacles in their lives, shared or unseen. When modest progress is achieved despite those burdens, you think it naïve to earnestly celebrate. Their success, which you find embarrassing to acknowledge publicly inspirational and noteworthy, gives you fuel a humble perspective for your own perceived hardships.

Fears of inadequacy Hope and accomplishment come from focusing on what talents, interests, and strengths other families possess our children have been given. Whether through paralyzing or sneering an awe moment or subtle recognition of others’ our family’s gifts, we should avoid seek opportunities to be overshadowed by be supportive of how God is working in them. The success of others He will blow your mind with where it guides their life.

Be discouraged awed by your unequally fated uniquely prepared journey. Your road is escapable not their road, and comparison and effort to get your footing on the road of others is the only way to feel worthy of a waste of the supplies God meant for you and an entirely different path and destination. The fear of inadequacy compared to others will reveal the sad truth nag you with lies along the way. Stop and ask yourself: Compared to what? Because the unparalleled journeys we each are on are unfair incomparable.

Your cup is half empty full. Your angst joy runneth over and it blocks out the cause of your distress; hopeless insecurity of comparison.