Choose your Joneses
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You're listening to an iHeart Podcast. Hey, listeners. You know I can't be bothered with lengthy beauty routines. Who has time for that? That's why I am so glad I discovered Merit. Merit is all about simplicity, high-performing products, and enhancing your natural beauty. If you're like me and prefer a less-is-more approach, you'll love that Merit can help you look put together in five minutes or less.

My favorite product has to be the minimalist. It's a two in one foundation and concealer that gives me smooth, even coverage with zero fuss. I also like the flush balm for cheeks. My shade is archival and it gives me that healthy, natural flush of color that blends in beautifully and makes me look like I spent more time on my makeup than I actually did. Ready to simplify your routine and make mornings a breeze.

Head to MeritBeauty.com and get their signature makeup bag free with your first order. For clean, effortless, high-performing makeup, head to MeritBeauty.com. Welcome to Before Breakfast, a production of iHeartRadio. Good morning. This is Laura. Welcome to the Before Breakfast podcast. Today's tip is to choose who you are comparing yourself to.

Maybe comparing ourselves to others is unavoidable, but at least we can be intentional about the bars we are setting. So it is probably inevitable to feel pressure to keep up with the Joneses, as the saying goes. But what's interesting about this is that the Joneses tend, almost universally, to be people who have a little bit more than us. Maybe their clothes are a little nicer, they take swankier vacations,

They have more interesting jobs, and their kids look a little less disheveled. It's interesting because, if you are listening to this podcast, the odds are good that the proportion of the world's population that has less than you is huge. We might be 98 out of 100 in terms of resources. Yet rather than looking at the 97 folks with less, we are looking at the one or two with more. It is fascinating and says a lot about human nature.

But when you realize this tendency, then you can choose different Joneses to help motivate you toward a better life. For instance, you can choose Joneses whose values, habits, and interests you admire. That way, you can be inspired to improve in those areas. So, if you want to have a good relationship with your teen and young adult children, look for parents who are just a little bit ahead of you on the parenting journey.

and who seem to be doing a good job with this. What are they doing? What can you replicate? What can you learn from them? If you are a spiritual person, maybe you admire someone at your house of worship who seems to have a calm and confident faith. Maybe you can arrange to hang out more with this person, join a small group with him, volunteer with him, see what he does and how he responds to things and his habits, and see what you might emulate.

Or maybe you have a friend who has recently made a big career change. You have been thinking of one too, but it seems out of reach. Start considering this friend your Joneses. If she can do it, maybe it's not out of the realm of possibility for you either. Spend more time with her. Ask questions. Follow her journey. Some of her courage may rub off on you. When you seek out people you admire and want to be more like...

and people whose values and animating questions connect with yours, the inevitable comparisons will nudge you toward becoming the person you want to be, rather than turn your focus to things you don't really care about. I mean, yes, those people on Instagram do have nice outfits, but if we are going to feel envy, let's turn that envy towards something constructive. Choose the right Joneses to keep up with, and that just might be possible. In the meantime...

This is Laura. Thanks for listening. And here's to making the most of our time. Thanks for listening to Before Breakfast. If you've got questions, ideas, or feedback, you can reach me at laura at lauravandercam.com. Before Breakfast is a production of iHeartMedia. For more podcasts from iHeartMedia, please visit the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.

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Hey listeners, you know I can't be bothered with lengthy beauty routines. Who has time for that? That's why I am so glad I discovered Merit. Merit is all about simplicity, high-performing products, and enhancing your natural beauty. If you're like me and prefer a less is more approach, you'll love that Merit can help you look put together in five minutes or less.

My favorite product has to be the minimalist. It's a two in one foundation and concealer that gives me smooth, even coverage with zero fuss. I also like the flush balm for cheeks. My shade is archival and it gives me that healthy, natural flush of color that blends in beautifully and makes me look like I spent more time on my makeup than I actually did. Ready to simplify your routine and make mornings a breeze.

head to MeritBeauty.com and get their signature makeup bag free with your first order. For clean, effortless, high-performing makeup, head to MeritBeauty.com.