Does This Budget Make My Butt Look Big?
Reason #8: Comparison
We all do it. We compare ourselves to others. What does she have compared to what I have? Look how far along she is in her business compared to me. Look at her speed on the treadmill!
Here’s what we don’t know.
The backstory.
We don’t know how long she has been running on the treadmill, maybe it took her 3.5 years to get to the point. All we see is today. Those “overnight successes” in business, we didn’t see the 2 years of late nights and worry, the 14 hour days that it took her to get to that point.
And we don’t know the real story behind someone else’s finances.
We may see the fabulous shoes and the high-end purse, but what may be hidden is $15,000 in credit card debt and a lot of sleepless nights worried about how she is going to pay her rent; or if she has enough gas in her car to last her through the week.
Or we see the woman in fabulous shoes and a mid-range car. What we don’t see is that she has a really nice retirement savings and a good emergency fund. She is living her life in alignment with her values and doesn’t need to be flashy. Her money coach has helped her get really clear on what her financial vision is and created a budget that helps her spend her money on what is important to her and keeps her in the shoes she loves. Maybe for you it isn’t shoes...somethings we will just never understand. But maybe it is holistic care, organic food, giving to others. That is what your budget should reflect.
Stop comparing.
We all have different needs and wants. Even if you make the same amount of money, there are still so many variables that make you different from that other woman. Think about it this way. That other woman who is your height, close to your age, maybe you even weigh the same; but you think she has a better body. There are so many things that could make the difference; body composition, muscle ratio. If you try to mimic what she is doing through nutrition or exercise, it may not work for you.
You are 2 very different people.
The same with money and budget. What works for her won’t necessarily work for you. So stop shortchanging yourself and trying to replicate what someone else is doing.