Not Your Highlight Reel

You saw the photo

You saw the prize

You did not see the sleepless nights (no,

you didn't) You saw the launch

You saw applause You did not see the twenty drafts

Then you compared your Tuesday mess

To somebody’s edited success

That is a game your heart cannot win So bring the measuring

tape back in

Don’t compare your backstage

To somebody else’s show

You don’t know their whole road

You only see what they chose to show

Measure from your yesterday

Ask if you learned and grew

Your race gets much more meaningful When the standard includes you

Celebrate their milestone

Without making yours look small

Another person climbing higher Does not mean you did not climb at

all

(not at all!) Ask what success means to you Not what gets

the biggest view A peaceful life,

meaningful work May not always come with fireworks

I bless your win

And protect my pace (protect my pace)

I can applaud you

Without abandoning my race I am growing I am enough And I

can still work hard on becoming more skilled and tough

Don’t compare your backstage

To somebody else’s show

Honor your own progress

And keep learning as you go

Celebrate another

Keep your own goals true

The world has room for many wins Including mine and you (yeah,

including you!) Applause for them.

(clap clap) Progress for you. (yeah)

Both can exist.