Settling for Good Enough In a Comparison-Driven World

It’s helpful to have tools like Pinterest and Instagram to get inspiration for your style — whether it’s an outfit idea or interior design blueprints to follow. The Internet is undoubtedly a helpful and inspiring resource — filled with recipes, how-tos, vacation itineraries, etc. and access to people all over the globe achieving the things you desire, working that job you would kill for, or the capturing that aesthetic you long for.

Gone are the days of opening a magazine with limited pages showcasing a few well-designed rooms or perfectly executed outfits. Now, we have a bottomless “magazine” that moves and glows in the palm of our hands, providing a never-ending stream of inspiration — reminding us of what else we could be buying or all the ways we are lacking.

Not to mention, much of what is presented on that screen is completely unachievable, as affluent influencers share their grocery hauls from Whole Foods totaling $300 (they never share the receipt), the newly arranged living room (didn’t they renovate that in the fall?), and their new expensive clothing (which they were gifted). We’re left feeling like we should be able to have these same things when our budget spreadsheet would argue otherwise.

It’s exhausting to live in a world where constant evolution is encouraged, whether it’s by swapping out your couch and paint colors every season, overhauling your entire wardrobe to sync up with current trends, or acquiring the newest gadget that is supposed to solve all your problems. It’s simply not sustainable, on so many levels.

And even though I have a worldview lens that is dead set on sniffing these things out, I must admit I still fall prey to the trap of comparison every single day. It’s easy to swipe through Instagram and TikTok and immediately feel inferior — and for me, this usually manifests in the form of interior design. I’ve even caught myself stumbling upon a perfectly decorated living room and looking up from my screen to critique my surroundings. I see the greige walls we inherited from the previous owner, the coffee table we got for free on Marketplace, the rug that is noticeably worn down where we walk on it the most, the yellow couch that is pilling, and the mid-century modern bar stools that suddenly feel very 2019. We also have a habit of wearing things out to the very end — our towels have some loose strings, our sheets have stray holes in them, our pillow cases have collected mystery makeup stains, our dining table has scratches and marks from hot dishes, our dishes have chips in them, and our t-shirts have armpit stains. Maybe these things make us gross humans or unnecessarily frugal — but I think it makes us…normal. Having worn out or imperfect things is absolutely normal, despite what the Internet might lead you to believe.

I’ve completely stopped watching the videos and reading the articles that talk about the “interior design or fashion trends that are now out” — because that’s an expensive hamster wheel to get on. And I can almost guarantee the style of my kitchen or the cut of my jeans will be on that list — and suddenly, I’m “behind” or “outdated.”

As I recognize this pattern to compare and feel inferior, I’m consciously trying to settle for “good enough” when it comes to all aspects of my life, or at least the aspects that don’t matter in the grand scheme of things. I say that because I hope I don’t have as apathetic or fatalist of an attitude when it comes to my relationships, my work, and most importantly, my faith. But as far as the trivial things go, like what I’m wearing or the chair I’m sitting on, who cares? I would much rather be remembered by how I made someone feel as opposed to what I was wearing while I was with them.

So the next time you’re scrolling and comparing your wardrobe or furniture with that of your favorite influencer, feel confident that good enough is good enough — and your life wouldn’t magically improve if you had the things they have.

Good enough is good enough for me. As long as I have a functioning chair, a couple of bowls, and a shirt or two, I’ll be okay. And even if I didn’t have those things, I would still be okay.