comparison & encouragement

since becoming a mama, i have read a few blog posts about the struggles of being a new mom. there are so many great blogs that highlight the pressures and struggles new moms face- especially regarding comparison. it's no secret that women struggle with comparison, and i love reading about women who put forth effort to not compare themselves with others. they always say that the first step in overcoming sin is recognizing it. us new mamas already have enough on our plate, why add worrying about how soon your baby is walking, how fast you are loosing the baby weight, or how clean your house is. and yet most of us fall prey to comparing ourselves daily with each other.

yesterday i took my weekly trip to get groceries and was shuffling around the store trying to get everything on my list while making sure ruby kay was content. a sweet lady working at the store interrupted me to tell me the two kindest things you can tell a new mom. first, she told me that ruby kay was an adorable baby, and the she told me that i didn't look like i just had a baby. for the rest of my trip i couldn't get our interaction off my mind. in the midst of her busy day, she took 10 seconds to encourage an overwhelmed stranger. how hard is that? her random act of encouragement was the highlight of my day and caused me to think about how i want to spend more time encouraging and less time comparing myself to others.

yes, i can't fit into all of my pre-pregnancy clothes. yes, i sometimes forget to shower some days. yes, my baby is almost three months old and still not on a consistent schedule. but rather than focusing on how i am "failing", i should think: did i spend time in the word today? did i spend time loving my husband and daughter today? did i find ways to encourage others today?

i have always loved the quote by theodore roosevelt, "comparison is the thief of joy". it is such a good reminder to not waste time comparing. here's to encouraging over comparing!

gold foil print found {here}.