I recently attended a session called Stop Comparing and Start Living at Glow’s Recovery Hub, and I honestly didn’t expect it to have the impact that it did.
Before going, I didn’t fully realise how much comparison was affecting me. It’s something we all do without thinking, comparing our lives, our progress, and ourselves to other people. But during the session, I began to understand that we’re often comparing our real lives to other people’s “highlight reels.” We see the good moments, not the struggles behind them, and it can leave you feeling like you’re falling behind or not doing enough.
For someone who has experienced domestic abuse, this message felt especially powerful. When you’ve lived a life where your choices were restricted, where you weren’t able to fully be yourself or do the things you wanted, comparison can feel even heavier. Looking at others can bring up feelings of lost time or missed opportunities. But this session helped me see that what we view from the outside isn’t the full picture, everyone’s life can look perfect on the surface, but what happens behind the scenes is often far more complicated and real.
What truly made the session stand out, though, was Becky, the Service Manager. She didn’t just facilitate, she completely transformed the space. From the moment it started, she made every single person in the room feel special, seen, heard, and valued. There was such a genuine warmth and care in the way she held the session, and you could feel how safe people felt because of that.
Becky had an incredible way of bringing the session to life. She helped everyone connect what was being shared to their own personal experiences, making it feel real, relatable, and meaningful. It wasn’t just information, it became something you could actually understand, reflect on, and take forward into your own life. You could see people opening up, supporting each other, and building each other up in a way that felt really powerful.
What really helped me was learning that comparison isn’t something to feel ashamed of, it’s human. The important thing is what you do with it. Instead of letting it knock your confidence, it can actually show you what matters to you or what you might want more of in your life. One thing that really stayed with me was the idea of saying: “Thank you for showing me something I desire.” That shift in thinking felt powerful.
The session also reminded me that there’s no set timeline for life. Just because someone else has achieved something doesn’t mean you’re behind, you’re just on your own path.
I left the session feeling lighter, more understood, and more confident in focusing on my own journey. More than anything, I left feeling grateful for the space, for the support, and for people like Becky who make experiences like this so impactful.
Find out more about the Recovery Hub and how the service can support you here
