By now, you probably know that I write something everyday.  If you don't, well, there's your newsflash for the day.  Most days I write whatever comes to mind, but once  a week I write a list of whatever random thing pops into my mind when I sit down at my computer.  Today I was introduced to the idea of a "six word story."  There are some really great blogs that have people submit their six word story, and I have found a lot of them to be incredibly thought provoking.  I like to write about thought provoking things, so I thought it might be a good idea to use a six word story as a writing prompt once a week.   I'll be sure to link you to the original.  We'll see how it goes.

Six word story:
"Only feel small among the stars"

I distinctly remember a moment in my life, when I was about eight years old, when I first verbalized what is now an all too familiar thought.  I was at my pediatrician's office and had just been weighed. "Is that normal?"  I asked her, referring to the weight she read off.  "My cousins are all much prettier and skinnier than me,"  I said.  I had, for years, been observing, taking in the world around me, and of course, one of the things that I observed was society's expectation of thinness and "conventional beauty" (whatever that is). At the age of eight I was comparing myself to others and determining my own self-worth based on that.  I felt inadequate because I was not "skinny enough" and "conventionally beautiful."  Given that these types of things only become more pervasive with age, I continue to battle these thoughts; the thoughts of how I match up to those people who I admire most.

Comparing ourselves to people we believe are better than us can be incredibly helpful.  It's good to have tangible example of the goals we want to achieve.  Other people provide great tangible examples.  But the thing is, we will never be those people.  I will never be Mother Theresa or Kate Middleton or Elizabeth Cady Stanton, or J.K. Rowling.  This will never happen.  But that's okay.  It's okay that I will never be them, because no one will ever be them.  In fact, no one can or will ever be anyone that already exists.  Everyone's life paths, dreams, achievements, goals, families, friends, lifestyle, everything are different.  To compare myself to Mother Theresa is to set myself up for disappointment.  While I admire her, and her legacy, it's not gonna happen.

The really awesome thing though is that, while I will never be J.K Rowling, J.K Rowling will never be me either.  No one will ever be Josie, and Josie may be equally amazing as the most influential women in the world, just in very different ways.  I can do different, but still amazing things of my own.  In my own ways.  With my own body.  My own mind.  My own life.

I've realized since I was eight that comparing myself to other people is a fruitless endeavor, because it only leaves me feeling small.  It only leaves me depressed and wanting instead of excited and happy.  Comparing myself today to the me yesterday? That's a fruitful endeavor.  That will get me somewhere.  That will get you somewhere.

So "only feel small among the stars."

Keep on thinking,
Josie