You might be comparing yourself to others today, which may result in your determination to be the best in all of your endeavors. Perhaps you are comparing yourself to others because you feel insecure about your own accomplishments. While being the best may serve a purpose in some situations, today you might consider learning to be content with yourself and your work. Should you feel any sense of competitiveness arise during the day, you could use the gentle rhythm of your breath to remind yourself that you are already doing your best. As you inhale, think of everything in your life and quietly tell yourself that you have everything you need, and then on each exhale imagine your inner critic releasing its hold on you. You may find that being present with your breath helps you relinquish your need to be perfect.

Being at ease with our lives allows us to release our need to be the best. Comparing ourselves with others will only amount in frustration, for when we do this we focus on every one of our imperfections. Concentrating on what is wrong with us means that we will never be free from judgment--we will always be fighting to be perfect. Realizing that we are perfect as we are, however, lets us live our lives in the present. Rather than fighting for some unattainable future goal, we bring our focus on what is beautiful in our lives. By focusing on the present today, you will understand that everything you are doing in your life is already perfect.