She has more followers than me. She has much fuller hair than me. They make more money than we do. She just had a baby. So did I…and she already has a six-pack. Her photo got more likes than mine. Her husband is so much sweeter than my husband. Her teeth are whiter than mine. Okay, you get the point. Eyeroll emoji inserted after every one of those, right? We have all been there. We find ourselves somehow scrolling through a complete stranger’s Instagram grid and comparing ourselves to them.  How in the world do we get into their grid anyway? By clicking on this person, then seeing they tagged this other person, to click on that tag, to reading the comments about how she is “YAAAASSS SO HOTTTT” with the most fire emojis one could possibly put into a comment, to clicking on the person who wrote the comment….you get the idea.  We are guessing you’ve been there, too.  Knowing someone or having no clue who they are, we compare ourselves to them.

Being identical twins and growing up interested in the same things, all we did was compare! And compete. We never did compete over boys though. Thankfully! We threw rollerblades at each other. We spit on each other. We weren’t always nice to each other. However, a lot of the fights came from competing and comparing with one another. Trust us, sometimes when the other twin is wearing cute outfit we find ourselves self-conscious.  When one of us is pregnant, we look at the other and wonder how will I ever fit into my clothes again!  When one ran faster in the 200 meter dash or threw the shot put further, we had to compare…and cry. Our poor parents! They could never take sides. They were so good with us.

Not only did we find ourselves comparing our skills and looks to each other, but to our friends and people we didn’t even know. Sometimes even a celebrity! I mean, really? We wanted to do anything we could to be like these people. Why do you think some celebrities have millions and millions of followers?! Do we follow celebs? Yes, we might be even a little too obsessed with some, but we are trying our hardest to keep away from comparing. It is about being happy and confident with who we are.  In the end, this is what makes someone so much happier with life as a whole.  It is not worth worrying nonstop about how you look or don’t look.  Those who love you will LOVE you no matter what!!

We have two dares for you this week:

1. We dare you to find someone who you stalk. Yes, that’s right. We said it. We all do it. Find someone who you constantly look at on social media, in person (that’s okay if you do, we won’t consider you a creep), or in some other way, and figure out why you keep going back to them.  Is it because you are comparing yourself to them? Is it because you are lacking confidence? Maybe not! That’s okay then. Maybe you go there for inspiration. Let them empower you.
2. We dare you to find someone you can compliment this week. This might just stop them from comparing themselves to someone or something and see the good that others see in them.

EMBRACE YOURSELF. EMPOWER OTHERS.

Xoxo,

 

Erin & Emily