BABYGIRL!

Every woman has a version of herself she believes would have been happier. Maybe it’s the girl who took a different major, the one who stayed in the relationship, the one who ended it sooner, or the one who moved away after high school and started a business. We create these imaginary versions of ourselves and convince ourselves that they somehow won’t face disappointment.

The problem is that we’re comparing our real lives, with all of the awkward moments and mistakes, to a fantasy that has never been tested. That imaginary version of ourselves never has bad days, never questions her decisions or feels insecure, and only exists in the highlights we create in our own minds.

It’s easy to believe that happiness is always somewhere else. We tell ourselves that if we had more luxuries, followers, etc. we’d be so much happier. Truth be told, happiness isn’t something that’s guaranteed by a different path, because every life comes with trade-offs. The influencer who shows us that she has everything may struggle with anxiety from constantly being judged online, and the successful entrepreneur may sacrifice time with family. The girl you envy may be wishing she had something you take for granted.

Instead of asking, “What if I had someone else’s life?”, ask yourself, “What can I do to make my own life better?” We can’t rewrite the past or live someone else’s story, but we can control and decide what chapter we write next.