The Happiness Killer: Comparing Yourself to Others

📊 Research reveals:

• Social comparisons, especially on social media, linked to higher depression and anxiety
  • Study from Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology
  • Frequent comparisons on platforms like Instagram and Facebook
  • Can lead to feelings of inadequacy and low self-esteem
  • Often based on curated, unrealistic portrayals of others’ lives
  • Constant exposure to others’ highlights can skew perception of reality
• Satisfaction depends more on perceived relative standing than absolute success
  • Based on research by economists David Neumark and Andrew Postlewaite
  • Study focused on women’s employment decisions influenced by sisters-in-law
  • Demonstrates how social context affects personal choices and satisfaction
  • Suggests we often measure success by comparing to those around us
  • Absolute achievements may matter less than how we feel we “rank” socially
• We adapt quickly to improvements, always craving more
  • Concept known as hedonic adaptation or the hedonic treadmill
  • Study from Journal of Personality and Social Psychology on lottery winners
  • Initial excitement of positive changes wears off over time
  • We return to a baseline level of happiness, despite improved circumstances
  • Leads to constant pursuit of the next “high” or achievement
  • Challenges long-term satisfaction and contentment

💡 Tip: Focus on your personal growth journey so far, instead of comparing to others. Your path is unique!