30/10/2024
• • | do you ever stop yourself from feeling bad because you think, ‘someone else has it worse than me?’
i didn’t realise i did this until i heard brené brown talking about something called ‘comparative suffering’ a few years ago. it’s when we downplay our own struggles because we think they’re not as important compared to someone else’s. but it’s a trap that keeps us from honouring our own emotions. what i’ve learned is that this mindset doesn’t serve anyone—it only stops us from acknowledging our feelings.
the truth is, just because someone else is going through something difficult doesn’t make my own pain any less valid. it’s not a competition. how i feel matters, and i need to give myself permission to feel it, even on days when it feels hard to justify.
it doesn’t make me less grateful or less strong. my experiences matter, and how i feel deserves to be acknowledged. healing starts when i give myself permission to feel, without guilt or comparison.
it’s something i’m conscious of because it still trips me up. i find myself thinking, ‘why am i feeling bad? i have so much to be grateful for.’ but i’m learning that gratitude and difficult emotions can coexist. it’s okay to have both. and it’s okay to feel what i’m feeling.
this is the medicine i needed today, and if today is a rough one, give yourself grace. your emotions are valid, just as they are. 💛