Comparison and Individuality

Have you ever typed your name into a search engine to see what would come up? Part of human nature is our intense curiosity and determination to procure knowledge. What comes up when you search your name? Well, for me, the first search produced the obituary of a young OSU college student, the second search lead me to a YouTuber with over six million subscribers, and my third search gave my name’s origin and meaning. I’m sure I could continue my search until I finally found an article about myself; however, I would have to be much more specific than just typing my name into a browser.

The results from my search don’t really say much about who I am, and why would they? There are billions of people on this planet, each with their own ancestry. We all have different traits, values, and passions that create a unique individual. However, the results don’t mean that I miss the similarities in my life. From my first search, I relate heavily to the loss of a life too young. Though we may share a name, my loss is different. While I did not lose myself, my loss was also one that I was also unprepared to handle at such a young age. So, I guess you could say that I relate more to the writers of my results than the person in question. My second search led me to the YouTuber, and though I am not big on creating videos, I understand her role as a media producer. Creating engaging content is a skill, and I often lend my experience in photography and graphic creation to help organizations or businesses apply new media to their social media platforms. While I have never heard of this YouTuber before, I appreciate the time she puts into shooting, editing, and uploading media for her many viewers. The third and final search is one that I have specifically looked into before, producing the results of my name’s origin and meaning. A girl’s name of Irish heritage, meaning “strong, virtuous and honorable,” is what Nameberry (2021) says about the name given to me at birth.

I would like to think that I am strong, virtuous, and honorable. I would state that I am, in fact, strong, but aren’t we all? We all go through hardships that shape us and make us different, yet similar in some way. But it is how we process the difficulties where the decision is made about the status of our virtue. To be virtuous is to have or show high moral standards (Oxford Dictionaries, n.d.). In my opinion, my name is fitting because I hold myself to having high ethical standards in all circumstances. But my reflection now leads me to honor. Honor is something that I think we will always strive for until our dying breath. We might have moments where we know that we have done something honorable, but then tomorrow comes, and we start all over again. So until the close of our story, we should always strive to be honorable for our friends, family, but most importantly, for ourselves.

Honor can be defined as to “regard with great respect” (Oxford Dictionaries, n.d.). In our efforts to be honorable, I think it is also essential to honor ourselves. Part of honoring yourself can mean treating yourself with respect and understanding your value. Therefore, do not compare yourself to others. For comparison is the thief of joy, as noted in Galatians 6:4-5 of the Bible, where it is mentioned to “pay careful attention to your own work, for then you will get the satisfaction of a job well done, and you won’t need to compare yourself to anyone else. For we are each responsible for our own conduct.” When we fall into the trap of comparison, we can begin to believe the lie that we are not good enough. For example, I could have viewed the YouTuber with her six million subscribers and thought that I could never achieve such a feat. However, that is not where my mind went because I do not want comparison to have a hold on me. Honestly, I applaud her for her achievements and success. My hope for her is that she continues creating around her passions to find joy in every moment. To do what I enjoy and find true happiness doing is a life goal in my book, and I would hope that it is something that everyone strives to achieve. Because why would we ever want to settle for any less?

Honor (verb): regard with great respect.

Oxford Dictionaries

I suppose the real question is, if I am not looking at the works of others, what am I doing that makes me unique? I think that the values, passions, and gifts we each have lead to creating a unique individual. Answering questions like what you are good at, what you value, and what your passions are can help in understanding what makes a person unique. So how am I unique? I am unique in my mind because I rely on my faith in God no matter the situation. I am unique because I place importance on my family. I am unique because I value good mental health for myself and others. I am unique because I enjoy helping others. I consider many things about myself unique, but some people might not think that these things are unique at all. To counter this line of thinking, I have found that the situations, memories, and building blocks behind our answers show just how remarkable a person truly is.

So now I ask myself, do I have any goals in terms of changing how I appear to others online and in-person? I’m honestly not sure how to answer this question. Yes, I have goals to connect with others on a more personal level. Humans live for connection. To be seen and heard but primarily understood. While I have never liked being in the center of the spotlight, I think that sometimes telling your story and making a connection can lead to healing and growth, not only for yourself but also for others. So, if taking the spotlight now and then helps me connect with others, then that is what I will do. Because I believe that we are here to enrich the lives of others and lift each other up – let’s stop the comparisons and instead celebrate the individuality of others.

Lead in Love,

-Bri

References

Briana. Nameberry. (2021). https://nameberry.com/babyname/Brianna.

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Oxford Dictionaries. (n.d.). Dictionary. Bing. https://www.bing.com/search?q=virtuous%2Bdefinition&cvid=97af3c2965d44e328b6384449cbc01b1&aqs=edge.0.0j69i57j0l7.3268j0j1&pglt=299&FORM=ANNTA1&PC=LCTS.

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Tyndale House Publishers. (2004). Holy Bible: New living translation.