Day 22 | Best Advice

Prompt: What is some of the best advice you have ever received?

Stephanie | My best advice "Don't compare yourself to others". This sounds a little cliche I know, but this piece of advise was exactly what I needed to hear at the time and was a complete game changer for me. I was at a place where I felt everyone else was great at photography/crafting/blogging/writing/etc, they were just so perfect. They had or gained so many new followers and comments, and I was not. I couldn't figure out why others were being successful at the things I wanted and I was not. I felt very defeated and not good enough. 

It finally clicked when my lovely friend told me not to compare myself to anyone else because everyone is at their own place on their journey. The road to being successful is a journey you take on your own, on your own path, with your own pit stops and detours.  You can only compare yourself to who you once were. Your growth doesn't come from the accomplishments of someone else. 

I felt so free once I stopped comparing myself to others and decided to accept where I was on my journey and work towards my goals. I have dealt with a few things the last couple years that prevented me from growing my business as quickly as I had wanted, but those are things I have to work through. Everyone has their own obstacles to overcome, you just don't always see them. It can appear that others have it so easy, they have a perfect life, and it all just works for them, but that just isn't true. It was a great feeling when I really understood that. Since then I've noticed that I am more excited for others accomplishments and success now, It doesn't feel like a race to me anymore.

Annetta | Someone once told me, "There will be criticism that comes your way… as they come I saw the words (like written words on a page) coming at your heart. The words bounced back as if your heart were of rubber. Your images are not meant to be perfect. Don't allow others to tell you they aren't good enough. What others call flaws, I call character. Perfection is only found in Jesus, so you must choose to let them bounce & not penetrate." The best advise I got was, "Choose to let criticism bounce off you & do not let it penetrate. Perfection is only found in Jesus." Not only was this a advise true and good it was also I who was the harshest critique of all and these words applied to me.