Recently, I came across this article in the Huffington Post analyzing if for most woman our friends choices make us regret our own. One thing she said I've often felt,
"Defending what we've chosen for our lives -- and what we've chosen to leave behind. Judging our friends' choices. Interpreting the fact that our friend has chosen something different as her judgment (and rejection) of what we've chosen for ourselves. The distance that grows when we feel like (because we've chosen differently or believe we would choose differently if we were in her shoes) we can no longer relate to the women to whom we're closest. Like the kid afraid of being left all alone on the bridge, each of us, at one time or another, has been left feeling like the oddball exception. And that feeling can mess with the decisions we make -- and often, the really important ones"
Guilty. I am so guilty of this. I often look around at what my friends are doing and feel nervous if my path differ from theirs. Am I wrong? Are they wrong? I think this comparing of yourself to others happens a lot for people who strive for perfection. For the longest time, I was struggling to obtain the 'perfect life': the perfect job, the perfect place to live, the perfect boyfirend, tons of friends, money. I wanted it all. I have slowly come to realize that you can have it all, but most likely you wont have it all at once, contrary to what Bethenny Frankel preaches. This realization made me happier with my life. There will be ups and there will be downs.
And, as this article points out, we, as woman today, have an unprecedented number of choices & paths to take and there is no right or wrong choice. I am slowly trying to become confident in the path I've chosen, the decisions I've made, and the life I live. Instead of looking next to me at what all my friends are doing, I am just attempting to live for the here and now and excited for the future on the path I've made for ME where ever it may lead.
