As we are surrounded by social media that reminds us of others’ successes, it’s easy to slip into feeling we’re not enough or relatively unaccomplished. Holding a tight grip on our competitive spirit can be toxic and blinding in our friendships. We’ve thought about ways to relieve ourselves of that added weight, and we think they are worth sharing. Here are 3 ways to let go of some unhealthy aspects of your competitive spirit to feel more fulfilled and self-confident:

Intentionally compliment the parts of someone that make you the most envious. A good example of this is in the movie Brad’s Status as Ben Stiller and an old high school friend turned TV personality are sitting at dinner, and Ben Stiller tells his friend how proud he is of him for his accomplishments after years of pent up jealousy and growing resentment. When we do make it a point to compliment someone for an accomplishment or quality that we wish we had, we’re relieved of a physical weight that can grow heavy over time.

Recognize and celebrate your own accomplishments. Each night before you fall asleep and first thing when you wake up, go over just three things you’re proud of and thankful for. This goes a long way in setting up a positive mindset for the rest of the day.

Limit your time scrolling through Instagram. Yes, we know the photos are beautiful and captivating, and there are endless opportunities to get inspired, but if you catch yourself comparing the way your own life looks to the ones you’re seeing on social media, you could be doing more damage to your self esteem than you realize. Pro tip: delete the app off your mobile device and only view the desktop. Also, if you can, avoid logging in until a couple hours into the day, and mindfully count how many times you’re checking in each day to cut down on the amount of time you’re spending unfocused on fostering growth in your own life.  

Of course, you know at Northern Fir, we feel self-care and treating yourself right is a top priority, so make sure you’re taking care of you always. But also, if you’re feeling a little temperamental this week because you just can’t get over Karl’s promotion, why don’t you send him a bottle of our beard oil with a congratulations note and see how you feel afterward? There’s no better way to kick that bitter feeling than to give a random act of kindness. Get yourself one too while you’re at it. It will definitely help you and your beard feel good, smell good and look good.