Why is peer support so important? Get over your envy and ask them how they did it
Have you gazed with envy at a friend who successfully lost the weight, stopped smoking or went from sofa surfing to actually surfing? Perhaps you were guilty of the "if only's". I could have done that if only I had the time/money/willpower/less stress at work/right partner/really uncomfortable sofa.
Sometimes, we don't even have to know the person. Celebrities can bring this jealous monster out in us and the media play on this through magazines and click bait by showing us juicy shock stories. Our immediate reaction is to compare ourselves to whichever friend or big time personality is within reach and decide whether we would have succumbed or succeeded in those circumstances.
It may be human nature to rank ourselves but we don't have to give in to it. Your task this week is to find the similarities, not the differences. Choose a friend, VIP or household name that has succeeded in making a change like your goal and study them. How are you similar? What strengths does this person have that you can draw on in your personal life? How did they achieve it? Can you replicate their efforts at home?
If you're thinking of someone you know then go ahead and ask them. Yes, in real life. Can you imagine how awesome it would be to lose that last stone and have someone ask you for help and guidance? Wouldn't you feel like you'd arrived? They'll be delighted you've thought of them.
You don't have to do what they say. If you don't succeed after asking them it doesn't matter - you're no worse off than you were before - but by letting them lift you, you'll open yourself up to lifting others.
Don't give in to the "if only's". Tell us how you managed to kick the comparison habit and ask for advice instead at the Making Change Stick Facebook page.
Enjoy Good Health!
