Feel like you're trying to keep pace with your more adventurous friends? Envious of the colleagues who can afford to retire early while you're still slogging away? Comparing yourself to others is something that we all do - it's human instinct. 'Comparison has been hardwired into our DNA for thousands of years,' explains therapist Marisa Peer*. 'Previously, in order to stay alive, we learnt how to do things by watching others. It really was the survival of the fittest.'
However, fast forward to the current day and pitting ourselves against our peers has become a measuring stick for material worth, personal success and life satisfaction, often breeding low self-esteem, jealousy and depression as a result. One study** found that we tend to overestimate the happiness and success of others, while failing to notice any negatives about their lives - so it comes as no surprise that women can get stuck feeling 'less than' when comparing themselves to others.
The drive to compare
It's not only the younger generation who are in the grip of 'comparison culture'. There's no doubt that social media exposure plays a huge part, thanks to all those manipulated lifestyles and filtered photos, but seeing how we stack up against others isn't just a modern or digital phenomenon. The idea, coined 'social comparison theory', was first developed by social psychologist Leon Festinger in 1954, and it refers to how we evaluate our abilities and attitudes, in comparison with others.
Esta historia es de la edición March 2023 de Woman & Home UK.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 8500 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor ? Conectar
Esta historia es de la edición March 2023 de Woman & Home UK.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 8500 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor? Conectar
Sporting SENSATIONS
Olympian Tessa Sanderson CBE reflects on winning gold and shines a spotlight on some of Team GB's outstanding women
The ROYAL REPORT
One of the many privileges of working alongside the royal family is to see them up close and unvarnished.
A DAY IN THE LIFE OF Dame Denise Lewis
The Olympian and BBC pundit, 51, lives in Buckinghamshire with her husband Steve. She has four children.
BRIGHT & breezy
Diana and Andy Irving set out to recreate American East Coast living at their Merseyside home, with spectacular results
Why a slim body MIGHT NOT BE A HEALTHY ONE
This month, our expert Annie Deadman reveals why eating well is essential, no matter what size your clothing labels say
My mother's GIFTS
When Genevieve Kingston's mother learnt she was dying, she found a poignant way to mark her children's milestones
IT'S GOOD to talk
The last six months have seen unprecedented candour from the Royal Family. Emily Andrews asks, is this the end for 'never complain, never explain'?
Sultry southern CHARM
Stretched along Italy's heel, Puglia offers a slice of the Italian good life, with peaceful hotels, indulgent meals and low-key glamour, says Lucy Thackray
FRUITY PUDDINGS
Easy crowd-pleasing desserts that can be made ahead of time
Are weddings OUT OF CONTROL?
You can’t put a price on love, but marriages these days can be eye-wateringly costly, as Christabel Smith discovers