Comparison is the thief of joy

One of my all-time favorite quotes:

It captures the essence of interpersonal interaction in such a simple way. It exposes the silliness of creating a hierarchy.

Because comparing myself to one of my friends is a lose-lose situation for me.

• If I judge myself to be lesser than one of my friends, then I feel like sh*t.

• If I judge myself to be better than one of my friends, then is this really the type of relationship I want with someone I care about? What does this need to compare say about me and my view of my own self-worth?

If I’m tempted to focus on others, can I opt for Sympathetic Joy instead?