Don't forget this ever.
We often believe, even if it is subconsciously, that if others are gaining, we must be losing something. We must be missing something, if they have so much.
This is not true.
This is the heart of jealousy and so much anger and hurt for so many. It is what drives so much hate and rage.
But ultimately, the more others have means the more they can give US. The more beauty in the world means the more beauty we can enjoy. The MORE glorious love and, you get it. There can never be too much of this shit people! There can never be too many people who feel good about themselves and happy in their own skin. HOW IS THIS BAD?
The less hurt and pain means the less ugliness and sorrow we are around.
This is true about so much, from body shaming to how we see our relationships. But it is so hard because we live in our little petri dishes (I've used this term since I was but a wee one in High School). We stew in our own misery and loss, we let anger and frustration grow, we let so little in when we refuse to see how those around us thriving and doing well is only the best thing for US TOO.
When your beautiful friend gets all the compliments, bask in them, people seeing you secure in your own beauty will think your confidence and ability to feel good in your own skin is just as gorgeous.
When you are happy for the success of your friends while nothing seems to go right for you, they will see your frustration and suffering, it takes nothing away from your personal struggles but they will love you for having the strength and integrity to still celebrate their personal WINS.
Don't let the zero sum game win. There is no shortness of beauty, kindness, happiness and love. These things are infinite and go forever, if you allow them to.
If you allow these things to, they are always within you. The struggle is real. It is fucking unbelievable difficult. But you are worth it and so is every single person around you. And you deserve to lose the zero sum game, there is no end to these things, no one can have enough love, enough compliments, enough security and joy. ENOUGH JOY.
Who died from being TOO HAPPY?
Bask in all these things, let there be TOO MUCH.
It is such a difficult lesson, one that I lose often, but one worth learning over and over again because life is too short to get stuck in your own petri dish. Your joy, your win, your beauty will shine through one day if you keep cheering on those around you and you will be such a better person for it too!
UPDATE:
This is not an economic argument people, there are no dollar $$$$ in this post for a reason.