I’m writing this post, because I’ve done it myself when I was getting started with my business.
I’m pretty sure we’ve all done it at some point.
You’re just minding your own business, scrolling through Instagram or Pinterest, and suddenly, you feel like absolute garbage.
There’s someone with the dream house you can’t afford, the glowing skin you don’t have, the career success that makes your little wins feel invisible.
It’s like a punch to the gut, and it doesn’t matter how old you are or how much you’ve achieved.
That little voice whispers, “Why aren’t you like them?”
I wish I could say I’m immune to it. I’m not.
I’ve lost entire afternoons to comparing myself with strangers who don’t even know I exist.
Sometimes I’ve had to delete the app, step away, cry it out.
But over time, I’ve learned how to stop spiraling.
I’ve picked up small habits that help me come back to myself.
This post isn’t about pretending it doesn’t happen, it’s about building a better relationship with the online world, so you don’t feel like you’re constantly losing at a game no one wins.
Here’s what helped me, and I hope it helps you too.
This post contains affiliate links, meaning I may make a commission at no extra cost to you if you decide to click on a link and purchase something. Click here to read the full disclaimer.
1. Remind yourself: You’re seeing someone’s highlight reel
This is something I’ve realized with time.
When you’re online, you’re seeing the absolute best moments someone decided to show you.
You’re not seeing the bad skin days, the messy room just outside the photo frame, or the tears they cried before hitting post.
Social media is curated, and you’re comparing it to your raw, unedited life.
Whenever I start spiraling, I say to myself: “This is their best 1%. I’m not going to judge my whole self by their highlight reel.”
It helps.
It doesn’t erase the feeling, but it gives me space to breathe.
Try this: Digital Minimalism by Cal Newport — it changed how I use social media completely.
2. Curate your feed like your life depends on it
Unfollow, mute, block, do what you need to do.
If someone’s content consistently makes you feel small, even if they’re lovely and well-meaning, it’s okay to remove them from your feed.
You’re allowed to protect your peace.
I only follow people who make me feel inspired, not inferior.
People who are real, vulnerable, funny, and warm. That one tiny shift changed my daily mood more than anything else.
Try this: The Joy of Missing Out by Tonya Dalton — a beautiful guide to intentional living.
3. Focus on creating more than consuming
This one took me years to fully understand.
When you’re constantly consuming other people’s lives, you forget to live your own.
But when you switch your energy to creating, journaling, painting, baking, gardening, blogging, you slowly start falling back in love with your life.
I genuinely love reading and playing music. If I have more time after work, I focus on learning French because I love that language!
Creating gives you something to be proud of.
Something that exists outside the scrolling. I started writing again, and suddenly, I didn’t feel so behind; I felt like I was building something.
Try this: The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron — especially the morning pages practice.
4. Track your own growth (not others’)
I keep a tiny notebook where I jot down small wins: “Did 20 minutes of yoga.” “Sent a scary email.” “Didn’t compare myself today.”
These are things no one will clap for online, but they matter. They’re the real metrics.
You’ll never feel like you’re doing enough if you keep measuring yourself by someone else’s ruler.
Your life has its own timing. Your wins count, even if no one sees them.
Try this: One Line a Day Journal – 5-Year Memory Book — a gentle way to watch your growth over time.
5. Practice digital boundaries like self-care
Put your phone in another room when you sleep.
Don’t scroll before breakfast. Set time limits.
Use app blockers if you have to. It might feel silly at first, but boundaries are powerful.
I charge my phone outside the bedroom now and keep a book by my bed instead. It made my mornings feel like mine again.
Try this: Phone Jail Lockbox for Digital Detox — funny, but honestly life-changing.
6. Get out of your head and into your body
Comparison lives in your mind.
Moving your body helps shift the energy. Go for a walk. Stretch. Dance like a fool in your kitchen. Clean your space. Movement helps pull you out of the spiral.
I have a playlist called “Shake Off The Jealousy” and I blast it whenever I feel that comparison demon creeping in. Works every time.
Try this: Walking Pad for Home — if you want a cozy way to move while watching YouTube or listening to podcasts.
7. Remind yourself of your real values
At the end of the day, what do you actually want?
Maybe you don’t want a Pinterest-perfect house.
Maybe you want a peaceful life, a safe home, a kind heart, a quiet morning with tea. Get clear on your actual dreams, not the ones sold to you online.
I keep a list of “what matters to me” in my journal. I keep adding to these lists. One of my dreams is to have a home full of rescued animals. I am actually working towards them.
Whenever I feel like I’m falling behind, I read it. It gently pulls me back to my path.
Try this: Burn After Writing Journal — a brutally honest workbook for getting to know yourself.
Final Thoughts
Comparison will always exist, but it doesn’t have to rule you.
You are not behind. You are not less than.
The version of you that takes small steps toward being real, grounded, and kind to yourself? That’s the version worth comparing to, yesterday’s you. Not some stranger on the internet.
And remember: the most beautiful parts of your life probably aren’t even online.
