Wednesday, September 3, 2014

Social Comparison Theory-4

Inevitably we engage in the habit of social comparisons and one of the ideal forms of social comparisons that can help us to live with contentment is to compare not with those who are better of than us...but to compare with those who endure harder life struggles than us. It is no use cribbing about some things that happened in our lives that are unchangeable. There are two kinds of life's happenings those that we can change and those that we cannot. That is why we often refer to the quote:


It is very essential that we identify the difference between the things that we can change in our lives and the things we cannot. So how do we handle the things that are unpleasant and undesirable in our lives. Firstly, we need to identify things in our lives that we cannot change. Secondly, we need to accept and acknowledge the unchangeable aspect of life by understanding the fact that we cannot expect things to change magically or hold unrealistic expectations. Finally, though we cannot change some things in our lives we can change our reactions to it.

How do we change our reactions to the unpleasant and undesirable happenings or things in our lives? Social comparison theory helps us here...we need to consider those real life people who struggle the worst in their lives and still live positively. We will be able to see that in spite of their life struggles they still take efforts to make the best out of their lives... for themselves and their dependencies. We have a lesson to learn from such people.

Instead of comparing with those who are better of than us and cribbing about what we have or don't have why not learn lessons from the real life heroes who live their lives successfully with a purpose amidst all storms...