Use what talents you possess; the woods would be very silent if no birds sang there except those that sang best. Henry Van Dyke

 nagillum/Flickr

How easy it is to become down trodden and lose our way because we fear that what we are is not good enough, that our talents and skills will never match up to those around us. The problem, of course, is that we tend to compare ourselves to the best of the best and become discouraged when we fall short in comparison.

Some contend that comparing ourselves to others is a natural tendency to find out where we fit in to the world - that the human brain prefers to sort and rank information. It's your job to give it something to do that will move you forward toward your goals instead of leaving you feeling like you have missed the mark.

Instead of comparing yourself to others and the accomplishments you think they have achieved, get in the habit of comparing your past and present self. Whatever your endeavors, look back to where you started. Take stock of what how far you have come and celebrate your accomplishment with joy as you work to reach your goals and dreams.

Today I am grateful for the chokecherry tree laden with fruit that provides food for a multitude of birds, for the varied songs that waft through the air and the shimmer of new morning light.

  I am grateful for blue sky, green grass and the remnants of rain that cools my bare feet. I am grateful for the rogue sunflower that adorns my garden and for the steady drip of water from surrounding trees that tells me the rain is done.

I am grateful for family and friends that share my life, for old friends who helped make me who I am today and for new friends I will meet along life's way.

 And, I am grateful for you, dear reader, as you stop to share my day. May you resist the urge to compare yourself to others as you go forward in the direction of your dreams.