Suffering from Compare & Despair? As with the Dread Pirate Roberts, there is something else underneath the mask…
I’m often quite late to the party.
It took me 15 years to discover the fabulous Ticket to Ride boardgame.
Sweet potatoes were completely unknown to me before 2010 (I mean, seriously, sweet potato fries - how have I coped without them???).
Lots of people have told me I should watch ‘The Princess Bride’ over the past years - and I completely ignored their advice.
I looked the film up on a streaming service and all the description said was something about a Princess Buttercup being rescued by her True Love from marrying a Pathetic Prince.
Yeah, not interested.
But I was SO wrong.
Princess Bride is not some corny love story.
It’s hilarious.
It is one of the cleverest, funny and charming films I recall seeing in a long time - possibly since Monty Python.
I mean, the main monsters are Rodents of Unusual Size.
Things often aren’t what they seem - and it’s not just funny films masquerading as classic fairytales.
On this week’s podcast I talk about what’s really going on when your brain goes into ‘Compare & Despair’.
Hint: it’s not what you think it is.
The problem isn’t your neighbour’s perfect lawn.
Or the fact that you think there are people who have ‘better’ bodies, bank accounts, lives.
It’s actually something inside you that needs to be attended to.
This weekend, when you notice yourself feeling mad, sad, or jealous after you you compare yourself with someone else, try this:
Lean into the feeling
Vent, express, move
Attend to yourself: what do you really need here?
Go resource yourself
For more in-depth instructions check out Episode 61: ‘From Compare & Despair to Compare & Care’.
Also: if you haven’t yet, go check out The Princess Bride.
Obviously.