Compare yourself to your past self

Comparing ourselves favorably to others is something we all do. And we also stimulate it in our children; for example, as we praise them when they outperform others. But social comparisons can lead to a constant desire for superiority over others and that underlies narcissism. Çisem Gürel, PhD researcher in Child Development and Education, studied the potential of an alternative: comparing one's present self to one's past self. 'Temporal comparisons are an alternative that do not feed into narcissism. Instead, they support self-improvement and healthier social relationships.' Monday 5 December she will defend her PhD thesis at the University of Amsterdam. Across the world, we offer children many opportunities to compare themselves favorably to others, argues Gürel.