It's You against You.

• It's you against you.

• Not you against your siblings.

• Not you against your friends.

• Not you against the world.

I noticed something, basically from my own experience. There are some times when I feel bad about myself. I tend to have this feeling whenever I see a person who does the same thing I do, or who is into the same thing I'm into; doing far better than me, for instance:

• Taking steps I neglected.

• Growing or getting better than me.

• Making money through the same thing I do, while I've got nothing to show for it.

• Getting noticed while I remain in the dark...

Don't take this the wrong way, I'm sure some of us might have felt this way in time past, we allow the successes of others to weigh us down and deaden the tinniest bit of effort we make.

But then, there's something I keep telling myself especially when these deadly thoughts comes piercing deep into my soul;

• When I see a sixteen years old girl taking steps I was ignorant of when I was her age.

• When I see a girl who is a graduate at my present age; while I'm still here struggling with my undergraduate life.

• When I see a girl who is fulfilled and married at my age.

• When I see....when I see...

I always remind myself of this:

Ella, it's you against you, don't compare yourself to others, don't allow their achievements lead you into feeling inferior or sad.

I viewed something really interesting today while going through the WhatsApp statuses of people on my contact list.

I stumbled upon the status of a very great writer and artist, this is a screenshot of what he posted:

We would never recognize our full potentials if we keep using people's achievements to weigh and measure ours.

It's you against you, you against what you were in time past.

If I measure my success with that of my friend's, I'll surely and definitely feel down and so bad of myself. But if I measure my success with that of my past self, oh! You need to watch me raise my shoulders in ecstasy.

Remember our secondary school years, that smile we can't help but wear on our faces whenever we check our report cards; seeing an higher percentage than that of the previous term.

Or...

As an undergraduate who just heard the news of the results being released; checking the notice board to view your result; only to find out that your Gradepoint for that particular semester is better than that of the previous semester.

I don't know how you feel, but trust me, there's this excitment that gushes out from my innermost part whenever I see a better and higher gradepoint.

Yes!!!

That's the spirit, it's not about friends, families, it's not even about your fans or the world as a whole. It's about you, yes you.

It's about getting better, doing greater things and consistently fighting in order to be the best version of yourself.

Taking a glance back to the days of yore, I can't help but smile; reminiscing those great small steps I took.

I'm proud to say this; I'm better than what I was before.

That should also be your checkpoint.

Just as I was proofreading this article, this WhatsApp message popped up, it's from a motivational group I joined recently:

It's all about being better than what you were in the past.

Don't forget this:

It's you against you.

So instead of looking at that friends achievements or allowing that achievement get the better part of you, start seeing more of your own achievement. Start working towards improvement, be happy, be proud of those little steps you take or make.

And...

Be the best version of yourself.

Till we meet again in my next article and in yours.

Thanks for reading.