A lot of us compare-and-despair in life — especially with social media and our immediate access to what’s happening in the lives of other people.

Sometimes people say, “oh, that’s just highlight reel — they can’t really be that successful or happy or having that much fun.”

You know what?

I think that might be true in some cases, but I also believe that those posts and pictures are the real, true and fabulous story of someone else’s life.

They really are that successful, happy and having that much fun.

What if instead of thinking they’re showing you everything they have and you can’t — consider that they might be showing you what is possible.

It’s easy to look at someone else and their situation and say, “Why not me?”

What helps me stay in my lane (and eat my own ice cream) is to go to gratitude.

Whenever possible, every day if you can, write down the things you’re grateful for in YOUR life.

I make a list of (at least) ten things I am grateful for every single morning in my journal.

I have some very close friends who really hoped I would be able to join them for a big beach trip this weekend, and I just didn’t have the budget to do it.

I knew it was going to be fun, fancy, and over-the-top.

I knew that I’d love it, for sure.

I knew there would be fun with bikinis and champagne toasts and I wouldn’t get to be a part of that.

My ice cream was dripping down my arm while I was counting their sprinkles.

And then I remembered my life and where I was going to get to be.

I got to be here in my beautiful city attending Derby weekend festivities. It’s like Christmas in May.

I got to wear a fabulous dress and a hat with feathers.

I got to have a makeup artist come to my house at 6:30 am and give me false eyelashes and stuff (because I’m extra like that, and I just love that about me).

I made things happen.

I didn’t sit by and watch.

I made my own sprinkles.

What about you? Where are you standing on the sidelines of life watching and saying “it’s for everyone else but me,” or trash talking someone or something because it triggers something in you (hint: it’s almost never really about the other person when that happens — something is going on with you; be curious and check that out).

What do you want? Chocolate sprinkles? Rainbow?

Ask yourself how you can add some flavor to your own life instead of watching what others do.

Go for it.