1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:10,520 Have you ever found yourself scrolling through social media wondering why someone else seems 2 00:00:10,520 --> 00:00:12,520 to have it all together? 3 00:00:12,520 --> 00:00:13,520 Career success? 4 00:00:13,520 --> 00:00:15,240 A picture perfect family? 5 00:00:15,240 --> 00:00:17,080 An exciting life? 6 00:00:17,080 --> 00:00:18,800 If so, you're not alone. 7 00:00:18,800 --> 00:00:24,760 Comparison is a natural part of being human, but when it leads to self-doubt, anxiety, 8 00:00:24,760 --> 00:00:29,920 or feeling like we're not enough, it can steal our joy and sense of purpose. 9 00:00:29,920 --> 00:00:35,200 In this episode, I'm opening up about my own struggles with comparison, how it crept 10 00:00:35,200 --> 00:00:39,960 into my thoughts, shaped my perception, and what I've done to break free. 11 00:00:39,960 --> 00:00:45,840 We'll dive into why we compare, the emotional toll it takes, and most importantly, how to 12 00:00:45,840 --> 00:00:51,320 shift from measuring ourselves against others to finding confidence and fulfillment from 13 00:00:51,320 --> 00:00:53,040 within. 14 00:00:53,040 --> 00:00:58,240 If you've ever felt stuck in the comparison trap, this conversation is for you. 15 00:00:58,240 --> 00:01:08,640 Let's start letting go and embracing our own unique paths. 16 00:01:08,640 --> 00:01:12,080 Thank you for joining me for another episode of LifeSnacks Lesson Plan. 17 00:01:12,080 --> 00:01:18,280 I'm Rachel and I started this podcast during my 29th and last year as a high school teacher. 18 00:01:18,280 --> 00:01:23,280 Goal of my work with LifeSnacks Lesson Plan, as well as my Live and Learn Patreon, is to 19 00:01:23,280 --> 00:01:25,640 create a connection where we are all teachers. 20 00:01:25,640 --> 00:01:29,760 We all have lessons and stories to share that can help others. 21 00:01:29,760 --> 00:01:34,680 I'm so fortunate to be able to extend the four walls of my previous classroom to an 22 00:01:34,680 --> 00:01:39,000 unlimited audience where we can all learn from each other. 23 00:01:39,000 --> 00:01:43,760 And my guests are some of the most inspirational people with the best stories and lessons I 24 00:01:43,760 --> 00:01:47,600 know, which is why I want to share them with you. 25 00:01:47,600 --> 00:01:49,760 Their words are something everyone should hear. 26 00:01:49,760 --> 00:01:54,640 It is my hope that you are able to take away something from each episode to apply to your 27 00:01:54,640 --> 00:02:00,960 own life, whether that be a career search, path to a more fulfilling life, or new ideas 28 00:02:00,960 --> 00:02:03,960 on current topics. 29 00:02:03,960 --> 00:02:10,120 100% of men and women have hormones. 30 00:02:10,120 --> 00:02:14,960 And with the increased presence of processed foods and environmental toxins, it's more 31 00:02:14,960 --> 00:02:19,680 important than ever to make mindful choices in the products we use every day. 32 00:02:19,680 --> 00:02:21,880 That's why I trust Q&G. 33 00:02:21,880 --> 00:02:27,520 I perform clean products designed to support hormone health while reducing exposure to 34 00:02:27,520 --> 00:02:29,920 harmful chemicals. 35 00:02:29,920 --> 00:02:35,920 Because this topic has been my primary focus since ending birth control in 2024, in an 36 00:02:35,920 --> 00:02:42,040 attempt to regulate my changing midlife hormones, after making healthy swaps in my diet, personal 37 00:02:42,040 --> 00:02:47,960 care products, and exercise routine, I've been able to lower my dose of anxiety medication 38 00:02:47,960 --> 00:02:54,200 I once relied very heavily on, and have restored balance to my nervous system and cleared up 39 00:02:54,200 --> 00:02:58,080 the brain fog I was experiencing in perimenopause. 40 00:02:58,080 --> 00:03:05,240 Q&G has played a key role in this transformation, offering safe, effective, non-toxic solutions 41 00:03:05,240 --> 00:03:07,760 that support my wellness journey. 42 00:03:07,760 --> 00:03:13,240 If you listened to episode 16 with certified Mayo Clinic health and wellness coach Tracey 43 00:03:13,240 --> 00:03:18,520 Danielson Mitchell, you heard our talk about the importance of hormone health. 44 00:03:18,520 --> 00:03:23,080 Coming in March, I'll be doing a deep dive into heart and hormone health on my Live and 45 00:03:23,080 --> 00:03:29,240 Learn Patreon, where I'll list all the tests, supplements, and product swaps that have helped 46 00:03:29,240 --> 00:03:31,760 me balance my hormones in my 50s. 47 00:03:31,760 --> 00:03:36,680 Plus, Tracey will be back to answer all your heart and hormone health questions at the 48 00:03:36,680 --> 00:03:38,320 end of the month. 49 00:03:38,320 --> 00:03:43,160 If you're on this journey with me and are interested in exploring you and Grace's trusted, 50 00:03:43,160 --> 00:03:53,080 non-toxic products, visit my link at hueandgrace.com.slashlessonplan to receive 10% off and free shipping. 51 00:03:53,080 --> 00:03:59,360 You can also reach out to me at any time with questions at nextlessonplan.gmail.com. 52 00:03:59,360 --> 00:04:03,760 Live and learn with me as we focus on living fully and feeling our best. 53 00:04:03,760 --> 00:04:09,160 Visit hueandgrace.com.slashlessonplan to see how easy it is to start making some healthy 54 00:04:09,160 --> 00:04:20,440 swaps on the way to non-toxic live it. 55 00:04:20,440 --> 00:04:23,560 We're getting real today in admitting that we all do it. 56 00:04:23,560 --> 00:04:24,560 We compare. 57 00:04:24,560 --> 00:04:31,240 We ask questions that reflect our own insecurities, aspirations, or need for self-assessment, 58 00:04:31,240 --> 00:04:34,740 like, how can they afford that lifestyle? 59 00:04:34,740 --> 00:04:37,360 How did they get that opportunity? 60 00:04:37,360 --> 00:04:40,200 How did they find such a great partner? 61 00:04:40,200 --> 00:04:43,720 Why does their family seem so close and happy? 62 00:04:43,720 --> 00:04:47,440 Why does their life look so exciting on social media? 63 00:04:47,440 --> 00:04:51,440 How do they get so many likes and followers? 64 00:04:51,440 --> 00:04:57,400 We compare ourselves to others because it's a natural part of how humans evaluate themselves 65 00:04:57,400 --> 00:04:59,640 and their place in the world. 66 00:04:59,640 --> 00:05:05,840 This process, known as social comparison, helps us understand our abilities, opinions, 67 00:05:05,840 --> 00:05:08,240 and social standing. 68 00:05:08,240 --> 00:05:12,000 Here's some key reasons why we do it. 69 00:05:12,000 --> 00:05:14,760 First is self-evaluation. 70 00:05:14,760 --> 00:05:21,080 We use others as kind of a benchmark to gauge how well we're doing in various aspects of 71 00:05:21,080 --> 00:05:22,080 life. 72 00:05:22,080 --> 00:05:27,600 So, we might look at someone who's maybe just a little bit ahead of us in life and look 73 00:05:27,600 --> 00:05:33,400 at their career success, their relationships, or their personal achievements. 74 00:05:33,400 --> 00:05:37,440 This helps us identify areas where we might want to improve. 75 00:05:37,440 --> 00:05:44,400 So, for example, small business owner sees a fellow entrepreneur in their industry, and 76 00:05:44,400 --> 00:05:47,600 they're featured in a major publication. 77 00:05:47,600 --> 00:05:53,000 They start questioning why their own business hasn't received the same recognition. 78 00:05:53,000 --> 00:05:57,480 Wondering if they're not working hard enough or missing key opportunities. 79 00:05:57,480 --> 00:06:01,200 This sparks a mix of self-doubt and motivation. 80 00:06:01,200 --> 00:06:07,920 They begin analyzing their marketing strategy, networking efforts, and business growth to 81 00:06:07,920 --> 00:06:11,080 identify areas for improvement. 82 00:06:11,080 --> 00:06:17,760 While comparison might initially trigger insecurity, it could ultimately lead them to refine their 83 00:06:17,760 --> 00:06:24,880 approach and set new, meaningful goals for their own success. 84 00:06:24,880 --> 00:06:31,920 But I want to just stop here for a second because this is something that I've been doing with 85 00:06:31,920 --> 00:06:32,920 podcasting. 86 00:06:32,920 --> 00:06:38,560 For example, like I'm in a couple podcasting groups and people who've been doing it longer 87 00:06:38,560 --> 00:06:44,800 than me or have different niches that their podcast audiences fall into. 88 00:06:44,800 --> 00:06:50,360 It's very easy to, you know, because I'm still learning, look at what other people are doing 89 00:06:50,360 --> 00:06:52,600 and say like, I should work harder. 90 00:06:52,600 --> 00:06:54,200 I need to be doing this. 91 00:06:54,200 --> 00:06:56,240 I should have changed my cover art. 92 00:06:56,240 --> 00:07:02,760 You know, we have to be careful because we're hustle and grind mentality. 93 00:07:02,760 --> 00:07:07,080 We have to be careful not to burn ourselves out. 94 00:07:07,080 --> 00:07:08,080 Right? 95 00:07:08,080 --> 00:07:11,920 Like, yes, you could stay up all night and change a bunch of things and perfect a bunch 96 00:07:11,920 --> 00:07:13,480 of things. 97 00:07:13,480 --> 00:07:17,880 I go through spurts of this where it's like, I should be doing more. 98 00:07:17,880 --> 00:07:20,440 I'm not doing enough. 99 00:07:20,440 --> 00:07:25,880 And then I'll see a comment of someone in that group who says, just enjoy the ride. 100 00:07:25,880 --> 00:07:31,720 And as I've said before, I'm such a person who needs to see 10 years down the road and 101 00:07:31,720 --> 00:07:36,920 I'm trying more and more to just say, this is what feels natural to me. 102 00:07:36,920 --> 00:07:40,720 This is, you know, not overwhelming me at the moment. 103 00:07:40,720 --> 00:07:42,840 It's not robbing me of my joy. 104 00:07:42,840 --> 00:07:47,040 And so I just want to remind you with everything we're going to talk about today. 105 00:07:47,040 --> 00:07:48,040 Yes. 106 00:07:48,040 --> 00:07:52,920 There are always ways that it can motivate us to do more, but like, let's be reasonable 107 00:07:52,920 --> 00:07:53,920 about that. 108 00:07:53,920 --> 00:07:54,920 Right? 109 00:07:54,920 --> 00:07:57,840 Let's be kind to ourselves and take it all with a grain of salt. 110 00:07:57,840 --> 00:08:02,840 I'm definitely all about having role models and, you know, looking up to people whose 111 00:08:02,840 --> 00:08:11,240 work I respect, but I am about in this portion of my life trying to scale back. 112 00:08:11,240 --> 00:08:16,120 And so I'm going to have to constantly be honest and reevaluate, you know, whatever 113 00:08:16,120 --> 00:08:22,440 I'm doing in the next year and take a step back and say, is this really matching this 114 00:08:22,440 --> 00:08:28,800 next step that I wanted for myself, which was supposed to be more joyful and less stressful. 115 00:08:28,800 --> 00:08:36,080 So with that said, the second reason is that we fall into this comparison trap is because 116 00:08:36,080 --> 00:08:37,520 of social belonging. 117 00:08:37,520 --> 00:08:45,720 Like humans, number one need because they're social creatures is that we want to belong, 118 00:08:45,720 --> 00:08:50,080 whether that's a small group, a big group, whatever the case is, like we want a sense 119 00:08:50,080 --> 00:08:51,720 of belonging. 120 00:08:51,720 --> 00:08:56,720 So we determine how to connect and compete and collaborate with other people. 121 00:08:56,720 --> 00:08:58,800 It's just like natural instinct. 122 00:08:58,800 --> 00:09:05,720 So another example from real life might be, you know, we have a new mom. 123 00:09:05,720 --> 00:09:10,840 She joins a parenting group and she notices that the other parents seem to have strong 124 00:09:10,840 --> 00:09:15,840 friendships and they confidently share their parenting wins and struggles. 125 00:09:15,840 --> 00:09:20,320 And she starts comparing herself, wondering if she fits in or if she's doing things 126 00:09:20,320 --> 00:09:21,320 right. 127 00:09:21,320 --> 00:09:27,320 At first, she feels a bit out of place, but over time she realizes that everyone is navigating 128 00:09:27,320 --> 00:09:29,880 challenges in their own way. 129 00:09:29,880 --> 00:09:35,360 By engaging in conversations and sharing her experiences, she begins to feel a sense of 130 00:09:35,360 --> 00:09:41,880 belonging, understanding that comparison initially made her question herself, but ultimately 131 00:09:41,880 --> 00:09:44,040 helped her find her community. 132 00:09:44,040 --> 00:09:48,480 So this is, you know, another one of those cases where I feel like, you know, based on 133 00:09:48,480 --> 00:09:53,600 what your gut is telling you, like, do I feel comfortable with these people? 134 00:09:53,600 --> 00:09:55,480 Are these my people? 135 00:09:55,480 --> 00:09:57,640 And that's, you know, that takes time. 136 00:09:57,640 --> 00:10:02,000 You're not just going to jump into a parenting group and everyone's your BFF. 137 00:10:02,000 --> 00:10:07,560 You know, there's a lot of different styles of parenting and in any group that you're 138 00:10:07,560 --> 00:10:13,080 in, you know, you're not going to be BFFs with every single person in the group. 139 00:10:13,080 --> 00:10:19,440 So again, stay in tune with your intuition, how you're feeling. 140 00:10:19,440 --> 00:10:23,920 It's okay to constantly reevaluate that. 141 00:10:23,920 --> 00:10:30,000 As I mentioned earlier in the episode, like we want to use comparison as much as possible 142 00:10:30,000 --> 00:10:33,480 for good, right, in positive ways. 143 00:10:33,480 --> 00:10:38,480 So sometimes comparing ourselves who, you know, to those who are a little ahead of us 144 00:10:38,480 --> 00:10:40,440 can inspire self-improvement. 145 00:10:40,440 --> 00:10:43,600 This is actually called upward comparison. 146 00:10:43,600 --> 00:10:49,720 And it's meant to motivate us to set goals and strive for better outcomes. 147 00:10:49,720 --> 00:10:54,880 Again, goal setting, being reasonable with this. 148 00:10:54,880 --> 00:10:56,560 So I did this a ton. 149 00:10:56,560 --> 00:10:59,920 Oh my goodness. 150 00:10:59,920 --> 00:11:05,160 When I took over the journalism program, I had been a reporter in high school. 151 00:11:05,160 --> 00:11:11,760 I had been a reporter in college, but this is like interviewing people and at the time, 152 00:11:11,760 --> 00:11:16,000 oh, I'm a dinosaur, like writing it, handwriting it out. 153 00:11:16,000 --> 00:11:23,720 And then eventually in college, we had typewriters and computers and then typing it out. 154 00:11:23,720 --> 00:11:35,160 That's one thing, but when I took over journalism only like 11 years ago, it was layout and 155 00:11:35,160 --> 00:11:39,680 the way it was being done at my school was very antiquated and they were about 20 years 156 00:11:39,680 --> 00:11:43,960 behind in technology that was being used. 157 00:11:43,960 --> 00:11:49,200 And then, you know, yearbook got thrown on top of doing the newspaper. 158 00:11:49,200 --> 00:11:55,600 I had to, the only way that I could get any better and learn was to look at what other 159 00:11:55,600 --> 00:11:58,520 people who knew what they were doing were doing. 160 00:11:58,520 --> 00:11:59,840 I had to. 161 00:11:59,840 --> 00:12:05,280 And yeah, there were moments that I felt really bad about myself and what I didn't know, but 162 00:12:05,280 --> 00:12:12,040 you know, you can't compare your day one to somebody's year 10, right? 163 00:12:12,040 --> 00:12:18,000 And as long as you are dedicated to improvement, you're going to get there, right? 164 00:12:18,000 --> 00:12:21,080 If it's important to you and you have passion for it. 165 00:12:21,080 --> 00:12:27,640 And holy cow, even now that I'm at the end of my journalism career, there are so many 166 00:12:27,640 --> 00:12:32,600 things that I would still like to do if I had the energy, right? 167 00:12:32,600 --> 00:12:41,800 And if all I taught was journalism, I still have a lot of ideas for growth, but it's 168 00:12:41,800 --> 00:12:42,960 time to turn that over. 169 00:12:42,960 --> 00:12:44,720 That's a whole other conversation. 170 00:12:44,720 --> 00:12:51,240 But that's where even with this podcasting venture, like I listened to a ton of podcasts 171 00:12:51,240 --> 00:12:58,680 in my car, I knew certain people who I admired what they did. 172 00:12:58,680 --> 00:13:06,080 And then I used them as a model for what I wanted to try to do on my own, right? 173 00:13:06,080 --> 00:13:10,360 And baby steps, baby steps, continual learning, right? 174 00:13:10,360 --> 00:13:19,800 So I've been seeing and interviewing people who as an example of this have written books. 175 00:13:19,800 --> 00:13:24,400 And when students ask me like, if you weren't a teacher, well, you know, what, is there 176 00:13:24,400 --> 00:13:26,000 something else you'd want to be? 177 00:13:26,000 --> 00:13:29,160 Or did you ever, you know, did you always want to be a teacher? 178 00:13:29,160 --> 00:13:33,240 And truth be told, I wanted to be a writer. 179 00:13:33,240 --> 00:13:38,320 And as everybody knows, you don't just like wake up one day, write a book, and then, you 180 00:13:38,320 --> 00:13:41,320 know, you have benefits and can pay the bills. 181 00:13:41,320 --> 00:13:48,840 So I thought that I would write while my students wrote, and then I didn't factor in grading. 182 00:13:48,840 --> 00:13:55,920 But all of this to say that I've been seeing a lot of people my age publishing books. 183 00:13:55,920 --> 00:13:57,080 Okay. 184 00:13:57,080 --> 00:14:03,240 And at first, yeah, you're like, why haven't I done this yet? 185 00:14:03,240 --> 00:14:11,720 But instead of dwelling on self doubt, I've looked at what I have done in the meantime. 186 00:14:11,720 --> 00:14:14,560 And you know, maybe look at what does it take? 187 00:14:14,560 --> 00:14:18,360 What do they have to do if that is a goal that you have? 188 00:14:18,360 --> 00:14:24,960 Do am I willing to block out time of my day to write consistently? 189 00:14:24,960 --> 00:14:28,560 You know, am I interested in networking with publishers? 190 00:14:28,560 --> 00:14:36,240 You know, am I interested in attending webinars and workshops about writing a book? 191 00:14:36,240 --> 00:14:42,120 If that is a very real goal, like podcasting was a very real goal for me, that seemed more 192 00:14:42,120 --> 00:14:48,680 tangible, then you have to say, okay, here's my goal, I'm going to write this many words 193 00:14:48,680 --> 00:14:55,360 per day, I'm going to attend one workshop every six months, I'm going to learn about 194 00:14:55,360 --> 00:14:57,160 publishing. 195 00:14:57,160 --> 00:15:06,520 So you know, if it is a very real goal of yours, there are people to use upward comparison 196 00:15:06,520 --> 00:15:12,440 with where you say I'm going to use them as a model, and I'm going to emulate what they're 197 00:15:12,440 --> 00:15:13,440 doing. 198 00:15:13,440 --> 00:15:16,760 I'm not going to be them overnight. 199 00:15:16,760 --> 00:15:22,760 But I would say that upward comparison has worked very, very well for me. 200 00:15:22,760 --> 00:15:29,000 Not compared to what we've just talked about, another reason that we fall into this comparison 201 00:15:29,000 --> 00:15:33,320 trap is to seek validation and self-worth. 202 00:15:33,320 --> 00:15:36,800 So we want reassurance that we are doing okay. 203 00:15:36,800 --> 00:15:42,240 We have had success, like, hey, I'm doing okay compared to these other people. 204 00:15:42,240 --> 00:15:48,760 And if you see that other people are struggling with some of the same things that you do, 205 00:15:48,760 --> 00:15:55,000 or they have tried similar things that you are trying, it can provide comfort and give 206 00:15:55,000 --> 00:15:58,040 you a little self-esteem boost, right? 207 00:15:58,040 --> 00:16:06,240 So I've seen, this seems to be a big trend on social media of, you know, sleep issues 208 00:16:06,240 --> 00:16:08,600 with newborns. 209 00:16:08,600 --> 00:16:14,920 And a new parent, and I was there many years ago, feels overwhelmed by sleepless nights 210 00:16:14,920 --> 00:16:17,800 and the challenges of caring for a newborn. 211 00:16:17,800 --> 00:16:21,320 They scroll through their feed, right? 212 00:16:21,320 --> 00:16:28,280 And they see other parents sharing similar struggles, exhaustion, self-doubt, frustration. 213 00:16:28,280 --> 00:16:33,440 They read these experiences and it reassures them that, okay, it's not just me. 214 00:16:33,440 --> 00:16:35,680 My feelings are normal. 215 00:16:35,680 --> 00:16:40,480 Seeing others navigate the same challenges helps them feel more capable and boost their 216 00:16:40,480 --> 00:16:43,920 confidence and their ability to handle parenthood. 217 00:16:43,920 --> 00:16:52,600 Now, the flip side of that is, if you are in parenting groups or you are following certain 218 00:16:52,600 --> 00:16:59,240 people on your feed, your algorithm is serving you up, people who make you feel like a failure 219 00:16:59,240 --> 00:17:03,960 at something that is not good for you, right? 220 00:17:03,960 --> 00:17:10,760 And I've definitely unfollowed, you know, things, we all go through seasons, right? 221 00:17:10,760 --> 00:17:16,720 And sometimes people are, what they're doing is just not realistic as it was for you at 222 00:17:16,720 --> 00:17:18,680 a different stage in your life. 223 00:17:18,680 --> 00:17:22,760 I mean, there are different podcasts that I used to listen to when I was going through 224 00:17:22,760 --> 00:17:27,440 certain things in my life that no longer apply to me. 225 00:17:27,440 --> 00:17:28,440 And that's okay, right? 226 00:17:28,440 --> 00:17:33,200 Like, we're all growing, we're all changing, we're all going through these different seasons. 227 00:17:33,200 --> 00:17:39,960 And so you are in control of what you are consuming and how often you are consuming it. 228 00:17:39,960 --> 00:17:47,320 So if you are watching things that make you feel worse, then that is up to you to change 229 00:17:47,320 --> 00:17:49,320 that, right? 230 00:17:49,320 --> 00:17:56,640 And the last reason that we fall into this comparison trap is cultural and social influences. 231 00:17:56,640 --> 00:18:02,520 So we have the modern media and social platforms amplify comparison. 232 00:18:02,520 --> 00:18:03,920 We all know this. 233 00:18:03,920 --> 00:18:11,320 We are constantly being fed others curated lives, making it difficult not to measure 234 00:18:11,320 --> 00:18:18,960 our own experiences against these sugar coated idealized versions of people's lives. 235 00:18:18,960 --> 00:18:26,760 So let's just take an example of me scrolling through social media. 236 00:18:26,760 --> 00:18:33,240 You see influencers, I see influencers my age or people my age posting glamorous vacations 237 00:18:33,240 --> 00:18:40,680 perfectly decorated homes, you know, they're living in a sunny state, they seem to have 238 00:18:40,680 --> 00:18:46,840 endless amounts of money and no worries about where it comes from. 239 00:18:46,840 --> 00:18:49,200 And they seem to have effortless success, right? 240 00:18:49,200 --> 00:18:50,960 The perfect life. 241 00:18:50,960 --> 00:18:56,040 Well, yeah, I wonder what the heck did I do wrong, right? 242 00:18:56,040 --> 00:19:01,040 And I'm obviously not doing enough or I didn't make the right decisions. 243 00:19:01,040 --> 00:19:07,560 And I stop because especially when it's people who I know, they're real lives and this isn't 244 00:19:07,560 --> 00:19:10,440 Patreon so we're not going to get into it. 245 00:19:10,440 --> 00:19:15,120 But most of this is BS, right? 246 00:19:15,120 --> 00:19:20,080 You know these people, you've had conversations with these people and you know that their 247 00:19:20,080 --> 00:19:27,240 lives have a lot of the same struggles that your life does or they're trading glamour 248 00:19:27,240 --> 00:19:35,280 and happiness and you know, for lavish lifestyle. 249 00:19:35,280 --> 00:19:42,400 But we are getting a sugar coated version often of people's lives and that's why so 250 00:19:42,400 --> 00:19:47,400 many people who go viral on social media are authentic. 251 00:19:47,400 --> 00:19:49,880 It's because of their authenticity. 252 00:19:49,880 --> 00:19:51,240 People like that they're real. 253 00:19:51,240 --> 00:19:56,360 I mean, I was just listening to a clip from Alex Earl who I would never know who that 254 00:19:56,360 --> 00:20:00,880 is if I didn't have a teenage daughter and I asked her, I remember a year ago, why do 255 00:20:00,880 --> 00:20:03,240 you like her? 256 00:20:03,240 --> 00:20:04,240 She's real. 257 00:20:04,240 --> 00:20:05,640 She shows up without makeup. 258 00:20:05,640 --> 00:20:10,520 Now this one, this is you know, a year ago, but so I don't know if that has changed because 259 00:20:10,520 --> 00:20:12,000 I don't really follow her. 260 00:20:12,000 --> 00:20:17,480 But I remember my teenage daughter saying like, she struggles with this, she's struggled 261 00:20:17,480 --> 00:20:23,840 with that and my daughter can't possibly relate to this girl's lifestyle now. 262 00:20:23,840 --> 00:20:28,880 But there is a reason she is as popular as she is, right? 263 00:20:28,880 --> 00:20:38,680 So let's just remember that a lot of what we're seeing are highlights and don't fall 264 00:20:38,680 --> 00:20:47,440 into that negative self-talk, which reminds me, speaking of Patreon, I went very, very, 265 00:20:47,440 --> 00:20:54,080 very in depth with this whole negative self-talk and comparison and self-love on my February 266 00:20:54,080 --> 00:20:57,720 collection, self-love collection on Patreon. 267 00:20:57,720 --> 00:21:04,560 So if this is a topic that you really enjoy, you can just purchase that collection or just 268 00:21:04,560 --> 00:21:10,440 purchase, I had three episodes, but you can purchase just a single episode that you find 269 00:21:10,440 --> 00:21:11,440 interesting. 270 00:21:11,440 --> 00:21:16,800 All you have to do is go to patreon.com slash live and learn. 271 00:21:16,800 --> 00:21:22,960 Okay, so I did a lot of this on there already. 272 00:21:22,960 --> 00:21:28,760 So with that, we're going to take a little break and then when we come back, we're going 273 00:21:28,760 --> 00:21:36,760 to do some reflecting and I will give you some practical tips and some action steps for homework 274 00:21:36,760 --> 00:21:43,280 around this topic. 275 00:21:43,280 --> 00:21:47,920 To those of you who have followed me for a while, you know that I value mental and physical 276 00:21:47,920 --> 00:21:48,920 wellness. 277 00:21:48,920 --> 00:21:54,360 Personally, I've worked with a few different coaches over the years and even been one myself. 278 00:21:54,360 --> 00:21:58,720 If you are looking for education and support in your own wellness journey, I would love 279 00:21:58,720 --> 00:22:03,240 to invite you to the wellness community I am currently in that keeps me accountable daily 280 00:22:03,240 --> 00:22:05,160 with my nutrition and movement. 281 00:22:05,160 --> 00:22:11,920 If you are a Facebook user, you can search for our free group called Team MG. 282 00:22:11,920 --> 00:22:17,800 This group is led by my coach Megan Grimord, who is a certified trainer and nutrition coach. 283 00:22:17,800 --> 00:22:22,080 She offers lots of education and support for your wellness journey. 284 00:22:22,080 --> 00:22:26,560 If you want to get to know coach Megan more, you can follow her on Instagram at all lower 285 00:22:26,560 --> 00:22:36,560 case Megan M E G A N underscore Grimord G R I M O R D or even listen to her on episode 286 00:22:36,560 --> 00:22:39,040 10 of the podcast. 287 00:22:39,040 --> 00:22:42,120 She has also created a discount code for my listeners. 288 00:22:42,120 --> 00:22:52,400 Just go to her website www.team-mg.com and enter called lesson plan 10 to get $10 off 289 00:22:52,400 --> 00:22:56,560 any of her premium coaching packages for the first month. 290 00:22:56,560 --> 00:23:02,080 Coach Megan is a busy mom like me who works full time, so I appreciate her practicality 291 00:23:02,080 --> 00:23:08,160 mixed with some tough love to keep me going. 292 00:23:08,160 --> 00:23:14,840 Although all you guys did you just hear that sound effect like the bells or something. 293 00:23:14,840 --> 00:23:20,240 I've been wanting to play around with sound effects as transitions and so there you go. 294 00:23:20,240 --> 00:23:25,840 My options were kind of limited, but we're at the part of the episode that makes me so 295 00:23:25,840 --> 00:23:30,600 happy, which is why I'm like kind of giddy, which is ask the teacher anything. 296 00:23:30,600 --> 00:23:33,440 So this week's two questions. 297 00:23:33,440 --> 00:23:39,000 Number one, what are your future goals for life's next lesson plan and your personal 298 00:23:39,000 --> 00:23:40,800 journey? 299 00:23:40,800 --> 00:23:48,160 So I just learned something in episode 20 from someone I admire greatly, Michael Hernandez, 300 00:23:48,160 --> 00:23:50,560 who's a brilliant, brilliant man. 301 00:23:50,560 --> 00:23:55,560 And he said, just go in the direction the universe takes you. 302 00:23:55,560 --> 00:24:02,080 I've been setting goals and, you know, checking goals off my list my whole life. 303 00:24:02,080 --> 00:24:06,320 And I'm trying to turn over a new leaf and do things a little bit differently. 304 00:24:06,320 --> 00:24:12,240 So maybe I can say this because I still have not solidified what I'm doing next. 305 00:24:12,240 --> 00:24:18,840 I have another meeting this week and it will become clearer hopefully soon and I can share 306 00:24:18,840 --> 00:24:19,920 that with you. 307 00:24:19,920 --> 00:24:29,400 But my goals for the podcast are to continue to learn and enjoy doing it and share wonderful 308 00:24:29,400 --> 00:24:34,480 people's stories and any tips or tricks that I have for you up my sleeve. 309 00:24:34,480 --> 00:24:44,320 And then same thing with my personal journey, more joy, more love, more relaxation, just 310 00:24:44,320 --> 00:24:51,960 living without the feeling of regret and being happy with the choices that I'm making. 311 00:24:51,960 --> 00:24:57,760 If ever I don't feel an alignment with that or in alignment with my core values, which 312 00:24:57,760 --> 00:25:02,920 I talked about in a previous episode, I am going to make a change sooner rather than 313 00:25:02,920 --> 00:25:07,360 later because it's my life and I can do that. 314 00:25:07,360 --> 00:25:12,160 And that's what being in your 50s affords you, right? 315 00:25:12,160 --> 00:25:19,520 Question number two, what's your plan for balancing podcasting with more time on the 316 00:25:19,520 --> 00:25:20,520 road? 317 00:25:20,520 --> 00:25:23,200 Haha, yes. 318 00:25:23,200 --> 00:25:29,960 At the end of April, we're going to be picking up our cute little baby, our Luna Rover Camper, 319 00:25:29,960 --> 00:25:36,800 which we spent months and months and months comparing and picking out, looking at different 320 00:25:36,800 --> 00:25:44,800 models and kind of envisioning this short term time that we're both still working but 321 00:25:44,800 --> 00:25:50,440 want to be out and about exploring a little bit more nearby. 322 00:25:50,440 --> 00:25:56,160 So the beautiful thing about the Luna Rover was that she's brand new and we were able 323 00:25:56,160 --> 00:26:00,600 to basically design her however we wanted to. 324 00:26:00,600 --> 00:26:09,000 And so she has a beautiful lithium battery that if we are not in an electrical spot, 325 00:26:09,000 --> 00:26:16,880 so it is electrical and it has the capacity for water as well, then there's always a backup 326 00:26:16,880 --> 00:26:19,640 with that lithium battery. 327 00:26:19,640 --> 00:26:25,720 So I will be able to sit by the fireplace and TV in my cute camper. 328 00:26:25,720 --> 00:26:28,320 Oh my gosh, what? 329 00:26:28,320 --> 00:26:36,400 Or you know, sit out in nature where it's nice and quiet and record my podcast because 330 00:26:36,400 --> 00:26:42,480 I can get wifi and I can record. 331 00:26:42,480 --> 00:26:44,000 So it will not interrupt. 332 00:26:44,000 --> 00:26:51,560 I made sure to ask all these questions when we were doing our upgrades and the man at 333 00:26:51,560 --> 00:26:57,760 Jerry's Camping World said, yeah, there's a guy that comes in here for his RVs. 334 00:26:57,760 --> 00:27:02,760 He's got a some sort of bourbon podcast. 335 00:27:02,760 --> 00:27:07,440 And so he goes on the bourbon trail and he records and he interviews people when he's 336 00:27:07,440 --> 00:27:10,680 doing that right out of his RV. 337 00:27:10,680 --> 00:27:12,840 So there you go. 338 00:27:12,840 --> 00:27:15,000 The plane's going to hold me back. 339 00:27:15,000 --> 00:27:20,520 I did post a little video tour of the Lunaroma. 340 00:27:20,520 --> 00:27:26,320 Actually today, the day that I am recording this, it just happened to be scheduled for 341 00:27:26,320 --> 00:27:29,320 today in my YouTube shorts. 342 00:27:29,320 --> 00:27:36,680 So if you're following my countdown out of the classroom, I think I posted it because 343 00:27:36,680 --> 00:27:39,200 we had a work day today. 344 00:27:39,200 --> 00:27:46,480 And so it falls kind of between like 57-ish days to go. 345 00:27:46,480 --> 00:27:48,200 But there's a cute little tour. 346 00:27:48,200 --> 00:27:54,800 Obviously, if you follow my YouTube or my social media, Instagram, you will see more 347 00:27:54,800 --> 00:27:56,200 behind the scenes. 348 00:27:56,200 --> 00:27:58,240 Definitely the day that we pick her up. 349 00:27:58,240 --> 00:28:03,320 Definitely when we start to outfit her for all of our adventures. 350 00:28:03,320 --> 00:28:05,320 First one being at the end of May. 351 00:28:05,320 --> 00:28:09,880 I think we have four adventures scheduled already for the summer. 352 00:28:09,880 --> 00:28:13,240 So you'll be able to follow along with that. 353 00:28:13,240 --> 00:28:20,680 So if you're not already on social media with Life's Next Lesson Plan, what are you doing? 354 00:28:20,680 --> 00:28:28,200 And please, please, it helps me in my new adventure if you subscribe to my YouTube. 355 00:28:28,200 --> 00:28:33,720 And also while we're talking about helping me on this adventure, thank you to those of 356 00:28:33,720 --> 00:28:39,000 you who have given me so many wonderful ratings on Apple Podcasts. 357 00:28:39,000 --> 00:28:42,480 I would love to see more reviews. 358 00:28:42,480 --> 00:28:46,440 Just scroll all the way down and that would be so wonderful. 359 00:28:46,440 --> 00:28:48,760 And please share, share, share. 360 00:28:48,760 --> 00:28:53,200 Even if it's a single episode with someone you think would enjoy it, if you're enjoying 361 00:28:53,200 --> 00:28:57,280 the podcast, it would really help me out a lot to spread the word. 362 00:28:57,280 --> 00:28:58,360 So thank you so much. 363 00:28:58,360 --> 00:29:02,920 Keep those questions coming either on social media or there is a box for them on Life's 364 00:29:02,920 --> 00:29:10,800 Next Lesson Plan dot com. 365 00:29:10,800 --> 00:29:16,160 We're back and we're going to just reflect briefly on what we've talked about and then 366 00:29:16,160 --> 00:29:19,080 we're going to get into some action steps. 367 00:29:19,080 --> 00:29:28,280 So we need to think about how we're spending our time online, especially and in real life 368 00:29:28,280 --> 00:29:36,240 when we are comparing and just be mindful to be aware of what we're consuming and how 369 00:29:36,240 --> 00:29:38,360 it makes us feel. 370 00:29:38,360 --> 00:29:46,520 And also remember that much of what we see is sugar-coated BS. 371 00:29:46,520 --> 00:29:55,600 So choose wisely the accounts that you're following and not only just how much time 372 00:29:55,600 --> 00:30:02,960 you're spending, I actually heard this morning a statistic that many people are consuming 373 00:30:02,960 --> 00:30:08,120 at least two hours of social media a day, which I forget. 374 00:30:08,120 --> 00:30:14,520 I think it adds up to like five, 40-hour work weeks in a year or something like that. 375 00:30:14,520 --> 00:30:16,880 It's crazy statistic. 376 00:30:16,880 --> 00:30:22,200 So just really thinking about is this the best use of our time? 377 00:30:22,200 --> 00:30:28,720 And if we are on there, yes, it's okay to have it for distraction, but we really need 378 00:30:28,720 --> 00:30:31,160 to be careful what we're consuming. 379 00:30:31,160 --> 00:30:40,880 And then shifting from, we don't need external validation to know our internal worth. 380 00:30:40,880 --> 00:30:48,640 This is a huge thing that I went over in February for the self-love Patreon series. 381 00:30:48,640 --> 00:30:54,200 And just if you find yourself as someone who needs that external validation, you may want 382 00:30:54,200 --> 00:31:00,040 to take a listen to why that is and the psychology around where that comes from and then how 383 00:31:00,040 --> 00:31:02,240 to work on that a little bit. 384 00:31:02,240 --> 00:31:09,360 And then just celebrating your own strengths, your own uniqueness, your own path, your own 385 00:31:09,360 --> 00:31:17,160 values, why you're doing things, and be honest about your journey and what you want it to 386 00:31:17,160 --> 00:31:22,040 look like and what's important to you and don't ever compare the beginning of your journey 387 00:31:22,040 --> 00:31:25,400 to the end of somebody else's. 388 00:31:25,400 --> 00:31:33,760 So with that, we're going to get into what we can do to kind of keep ourselves in a positive 389 00:31:33,760 --> 00:31:41,800 frame of mind and cultivate that internal validation so that we know our own self-worth 390 00:31:41,800 --> 00:31:48,440 and we can operate in a place of confidence and self-awareness. 391 00:31:48,440 --> 00:31:55,680 So to become more self-aware, I'm going to recommend things we've all heard a thousand 392 00:31:55,680 --> 00:32:03,360 times, but that's because research shows that they work from a psychological standpoint. 393 00:32:03,360 --> 00:32:06,360 So the first one is journaling. 394 00:32:06,360 --> 00:32:10,600 I have found that I'm not good with a blank journal. 395 00:32:10,600 --> 00:32:17,440 So I have some journals that I have purchased at different points in my life. 396 00:32:17,440 --> 00:32:23,960 Some are kind of funny and vulgar and some are more serious, but I kind of like having 397 00:32:23,960 --> 00:32:27,240 someone tell me what to do. 398 00:32:27,240 --> 00:32:34,040 For a while, also I used the Growth Day app, which I actually think is really, really helpful, 399 00:32:34,040 --> 00:32:35,800 but it does come with a fee. 400 00:32:35,800 --> 00:32:43,680 So I kind of switched over to a different method, but I really liked that as well because 401 00:32:43,680 --> 00:32:49,040 it gives you a prompt every day and it keeps everything in one place. 402 00:32:49,040 --> 00:32:55,080 Also I'm so proud of myself in the last week or two I have gotten back into my Headspace 403 00:32:55,080 --> 00:32:57,240 account. 404 00:32:57,240 --> 00:33:03,280 So I have been doing mindfulness meditation before bed. 405 00:33:03,280 --> 00:33:10,840 That is what really helps me kind of unwind my brain and focus on those words and there 406 00:33:10,840 --> 00:33:18,080 is something about that guy's voice that is like a lullaby to me and puts me to sleep. 407 00:33:18,080 --> 00:33:24,400 And actually last night I did the sauna and meditated and I don't know if it was the combination 408 00:33:24,400 --> 00:33:29,640 or one or the other, but I got the highest sleep score that I've had in a while and probably 409 00:33:29,640 --> 00:33:36,760 also because we had a work day today and I didn't have to teach and I always sleep better 410 00:33:36,760 --> 00:33:37,960 when that's the case. 411 00:33:37,960 --> 00:33:48,000 So journaling, mindfulness, setting intrinsic goals, meaning this is kind of just like looking 412 00:33:48,000 --> 00:33:52,480 at what's important to you a little bit different from goal setting. 413 00:33:52,480 --> 00:33:56,600 I would say this is more like aligning with your values. 414 00:33:56,600 --> 00:34:04,600 So not what society says you're supposed to be doing, but what you are setting for yourself. 415 00:34:04,600 --> 00:34:06,640 These don't have to be achievement goals. 416 00:34:06,640 --> 00:34:09,400 These can be feeling. 417 00:34:09,400 --> 00:34:19,320 This can be like I am going to add 10 more minutes of joy to each day based on things 418 00:34:19,320 --> 00:34:22,000 that invigorate me. 419 00:34:22,000 --> 00:34:30,440 And last Wednesday's episode we did this exercise or actually it might have been two Wednesdays 420 00:34:30,440 --> 00:34:36,640 ago episode 21 I believe where we looked at things that give us energy and things that 421 00:34:36,640 --> 00:34:38,720 deplete us. 422 00:34:38,720 --> 00:34:43,800 And if it's not aligned with our values, it is going to deplete us. 423 00:34:43,800 --> 00:34:54,480 So setting these goals to live by your personal beliefs and passions is going to help us feel 424 00:34:54,480 --> 00:35:00,360 more fulfilled and definitely help our internal validation. 425 00:35:00,360 --> 00:35:03,800 And we want to celebrate ourselves. 426 00:35:03,800 --> 00:35:06,760 Small wins, large wins, everything. 427 00:35:06,760 --> 00:35:13,760 So I'm a huge proponent of baby steps because that's usually only what I have capacity for. 428 00:35:13,760 --> 00:35:20,960 And I celebrate those like every movement forward is progress. 429 00:35:20,960 --> 00:35:24,960 So all of that should be celebrated. 430 00:35:24,960 --> 00:35:28,160 And then more positive self-talk. 431 00:35:28,160 --> 00:35:33,720 So really paying attention to the messages that we are playing in our brains. 432 00:35:33,720 --> 00:35:39,680 This goes along with what we are consuming too, but practicing, supporting, affirming 433 00:35:39,680 --> 00:35:48,080 language when you catch yourself in the negative spiral or you hear words that you would never 434 00:35:48,080 --> 00:35:52,960 repeat to a friend or a loved one, but you're saying them to yourself, you have to catch 435 00:35:52,960 --> 00:35:55,160 yourself, right? 436 00:35:55,160 --> 00:35:57,600 And understand that we are not perfect. 437 00:35:57,600 --> 00:35:59,920 We are not meant to be perfect. 438 00:35:59,920 --> 00:36:05,320 We are imperfect beings and we are lovable as imperfect beings. 439 00:36:05,320 --> 00:36:08,200 And that's why people like us, right? 440 00:36:08,200 --> 00:36:13,800 Like nobody loves a perfect person because they don't exist, first of all. 441 00:36:13,800 --> 00:36:17,360 But second of all, our flaws are beautiful. 442 00:36:17,360 --> 00:36:20,640 So they're what make us unique. 443 00:36:20,640 --> 00:36:21,760 And it's okay. 444 00:36:21,760 --> 00:36:24,400 It's all a part of who we are, right? 445 00:36:24,400 --> 00:36:30,680 All these stories that I've been sharing on the podcast, they're not all smooth sailing. 446 00:36:30,680 --> 00:36:38,040 So we all have gone through challenges and struggles and it's okay, right? 447 00:36:38,040 --> 00:36:39,720 We're still good people. 448 00:36:39,720 --> 00:36:46,520 So that goes along with just like who you surround yourself with and the relationships 449 00:36:46,520 --> 00:36:50,000 that you have should be building you up. 450 00:36:50,000 --> 00:36:58,840 And again, someday on Patreon, I'll get into some of the big changes that I've had to make 451 00:36:58,840 --> 00:36:59,840 here. 452 00:36:59,840 --> 00:37:05,840 But if you don't feel supported and you don't feel like people are putting into you what 453 00:37:05,840 --> 00:37:07,760 you are putting into them. 454 00:37:07,760 --> 00:37:10,840 I don't care who they are. 455 00:37:10,840 --> 00:37:12,800 You have a right to change that. 456 00:37:12,800 --> 00:37:16,840 And I have definitely done that. 457 00:37:16,840 --> 00:37:23,760 And it has helped because a lot of my negative self-talk I realized and a lot of the feelings 458 00:37:23,760 --> 00:37:29,200 that I was having about myself were stemming from unhealthy relationships. 459 00:37:29,200 --> 00:37:31,120 We'll just say that, all right? 460 00:37:31,120 --> 00:37:34,960 So we're going to limit our exposure to negativity. 461 00:37:34,960 --> 00:37:41,000 We're going to limit our exposure to negative comparison on social media. 462 00:37:41,000 --> 00:37:45,600 We're going to be careful about the messages in our brains. 463 00:37:45,600 --> 00:37:54,640 We should also look at the small things in our lives that we appreciate and are thankful 464 00:37:54,640 --> 00:37:58,320 for because what is the cliche? 465 00:37:58,320 --> 00:38:01,120 The small things are what become the big things, right? 466 00:38:01,120 --> 00:38:06,800 And it's so funny with aging, all these cliches that you hear when you're growing up and you're 467 00:38:06,800 --> 00:38:08,080 like, that'll never be me. 468 00:38:08,080 --> 00:38:09,360 That'll never apply to me. 469 00:38:09,360 --> 00:38:12,760 Oh yeah, they exist for a reason, right? 470 00:38:12,760 --> 00:38:17,400 So it is really true that that is all that matters. 471 00:38:17,400 --> 00:38:25,800 And so just really appreciating the sun when it is out and your pets when they are healthy 472 00:38:25,800 --> 00:38:31,960 and your children when they are healthy, right? 473 00:38:31,960 --> 00:38:37,200 Like it's just all worth celebrating and continually evaluating just kind of where you're at, how 474 00:38:37,200 --> 00:38:42,800 you're feeling, how far you have come, all the strides that you have made. 475 00:38:42,800 --> 00:38:49,920 I was literally sitting at my desk today and I think I was filming a YouTube short just 476 00:38:49,920 --> 00:38:59,760 about I had this moment of like, holy cow, how different I feel compared to five years 477 00:38:59,760 --> 00:39:01,920 ago in 2020. 478 00:39:01,920 --> 00:39:08,840 And yes, it was a crazy time for everybody because it was the pandemic, but I had just 479 00:39:08,840 --> 00:39:15,360 left my marriage the day after Christmas in 2019, moved into a new apartment with my daughter 480 00:39:15,360 --> 00:39:23,960 who at that time wasn't speaking to her father and started off 2020 in an apartment with 481 00:39:23,960 --> 00:39:26,680 two dogs and a middle school child. 482 00:39:26,680 --> 00:39:30,520 And then two months later, the world shut down. 483 00:39:30,520 --> 00:39:36,400 And I struggled during that time because of the isolation and what I was going through 484 00:39:36,400 --> 00:39:38,080 and what my daughter was going through. 485 00:39:38,080 --> 00:39:42,400 And there were some days I did not do well at all. 486 00:39:42,400 --> 00:39:43,680 And wow. 487 00:39:43,680 --> 00:39:46,920 Just looking back like that is a win in itself. 488 00:39:46,920 --> 00:39:52,520 And we all have been through times that we didn't know how we were going to make it through. 489 00:39:52,520 --> 00:39:59,120 And we survived and we have to celebrate our grit and really just keep assessing like the 490 00:39:59,120 --> 00:40:03,840 strength that we have within ourselves and continue to grow. 491 00:40:03,840 --> 00:40:11,000 That's kind of going to be the last thing I think that I want to leave with is just pursuing 492 00:40:11,000 --> 00:40:17,680 things that excite us, pursuing things that get us closer to aligning with our values 493 00:40:17,680 --> 00:40:21,280 and living according to them. 494 00:40:21,280 --> 00:40:29,280 Maybe that is something like from your invigoration list that we generated in episode 21. 495 00:40:29,280 --> 00:40:34,920 Maybe that is just again, 10 more minutes of joy if that's getting outside for a walk, 496 00:40:34,920 --> 00:40:38,920 if that is knitting, whatever the case might be. 497 00:40:38,920 --> 00:40:47,320 And then if you feel like you are in a place where you need professional help with that, 498 00:40:47,320 --> 00:40:49,400 there are those seasons as well, right? 499 00:40:49,400 --> 00:40:56,800 I definitely have gone through many of those seasons and thank God for those people because 500 00:40:56,800 --> 00:41:03,440 oh my goodness, they helped me navigate some very difficult decisions and open my eyes 501 00:41:03,440 --> 00:41:07,480 to a lot of things and they're professionals. 502 00:41:07,480 --> 00:41:08,480 That's their job. 503 00:41:08,480 --> 00:41:10,500 That's their reason why they're there for. 504 00:41:10,500 --> 00:41:18,360 And so please reach out to those resources that you have available to you. 505 00:41:18,360 --> 00:41:27,920 So hopefully these things help you shift from looking at all of the external comparison. 506 00:41:27,920 --> 00:41:35,440 And I liked the part today where we talked about upward comparison that it can be used 507 00:41:35,440 --> 00:41:36,680 in a positive way. 508 00:41:36,680 --> 00:41:43,800 Again, if you are curating your social media feed to have people in it who you admire and 509 00:41:43,800 --> 00:41:50,360 who you want to apply certain aspects of their life to yours, then that can definitely be 510 00:41:50,360 --> 00:42:00,120 a positive way to use comparison. 511 00:42:00,120 --> 00:42:02,560 That's a wrap on today's episode. 512 00:42:02,560 --> 00:42:08,920 I hope this conversation helped you recognize the ways that comparison sneaks into our lives 513 00:42:08,920 --> 00:42:13,440 and how we can start shifting our focus back to our own unique path. 514 00:42:13,440 --> 00:42:15,240 Remember that your journey is yours alone. 515 00:42:15,240 --> 00:42:20,080 No timeline, no competition, just growth at your own pace. 516 00:42:20,080 --> 00:42:24,440 If this episode resonated with you, I would love to hear your thoughts. 517 00:42:24,440 --> 00:42:26,480 Share your biggest takeaway with me. 518 00:42:26,480 --> 00:42:31,560 And if you found this valuable, consider leaving a review or sharing it with a friend who might 519 00:42:31,560 --> 00:42:33,800 need this reminder too. 520 00:42:33,800 --> 00:42:39,680 And if you want to keep the conversation going, join me over on my Live and Learn Patreon. 521 00:42:39,680 --> 00:42:43,920 Just go to patreon.com slash live and learn. 522 00:42:43,920 --> 00:42:51,240 Again, this is a really great place to get more personal episodes and just have a little 523 00:42:51,240 --> 00:42:58,880 bit more behind the scenes as well as on my Life's Next Lesson Plan YouTube, Instagram, 524 00:42:58,880 --> 00:43:00,600 and Facebook. 525 00:43:00,600 --> 00:43:08,640 And we want to continue to build this community to celebrate each other, celebrate our progress, 526 00:43:08,640 --> 00:43:13,600 and shun this idea of perfection, right? 527 00:43:13,600 --> 00:43:16,400 So as always, thanks so much for tuning in. 528 00:43:16,400 --> 00:43:19,840 And until next time, keep embracing your own path. 529 00:43:19,840 --> 00:43:41,800 One baby step at a time.