Am I Doing Enough Spiritually? How to Stop Comparing Your Spiritual Path
Have you ever wondered, ‘Am I doing enough spiritually?’ Am I even on the right path? Guess what — many of us fall into this comparison trap. We break out the spiritual measuring tape and see how we align with someone else’s state of enlightenment. Spirituality isn’t a competition. You are not trying to beat anyone else to the finish line. This article explores how to stop comparing your spiritual path, how to trust your unique timing, and how to rediscover joy in your own unfolding.
🔊 Listen to “How to Stop Comparing Your Spiritual Path” if you prefer.
How to Stop Comparing Your Spiritual Path
At some point in this human-and-soul adventure, almost everyone hits that restless moment: Am I where I’m supposed to be? Why don’t I feel what others are feeling?
It’s sneaky because comparison wears a spiritual disguise and actually hinders our own actual development. Sometimes, the people around us wear their own masks, even playing the role of “deeply enlightened” out of fear — as if performing it makes them more genuine. They may not even realize it or intend to.
This is not true for everyone; many of their intentions are very pure, even if it speaks very highly of their current place on the path of enlightenment. It can encourage some to strive more and become more motivated.
In some cases, though, it may emphasize our own struggle and cause us to feel beaten down and want to quit. Please, never give up! Your path is not supposed to look just like theirs.
Enlightenment is not a cloning program. We have been living that illusion for far too long. Spirituality is not about being a “sheep”.
Think of it like a box of crayons, one of those great big ones. Some shades are loud and bright, while others are soft, earthy tones. Since I was a kid (so very long ago), they have now introduced neons and metallics as well. A beautiful array of artistic creations. None of those crayons in the box feels a need to apologize to the other for being a different shade. What if you only had one color in that great big box? The picture would be flat, and you would likely be very disappointed; the coloring page would not look as it was intended. The fullness comes from the combination of all those hues. You are one of those hues or even a beautiful combination of them. You’re here to be your own color.
Why We Compare Ourselves Spiritually
The Pressure to Evolve “Faster”
There can be a subtle pressure in spiritual spaces — a sense that you should always be opening up faster, reaching higher, and expanding more dramatically. But growth doesn’t happen by force. Facts: When you force something, you can miss important things along the way.
This evolution comes in ups and downs, spirals and loops, tears and laughter, and movement at your own pace. Yes, downloads and upgrades happen, and just because someone else has had their current ascension software updated, you may still be trying to upgrade to the newest operating system. You will get it, though, when you stop trying to keep up with the latest and greatest, and just ALLOW!
Social Media can play a big part in the Illusion of Enlightenment
Scroll long enough and you’ll see people glowing in candlelight, announcing their sunrise breakthroughs and kundalini awakenings. Awesome, I celebrate your journey of allowing! Sometimes those moments are genuine, sometimes they’re exaggerated, and sometimes it can just be smoke getting blown up your A$$.
The key is discernment. Let your inner voice guide you on what feels true and what feels like a fiction novel.
Social media can be and often is a fantastic place for sharing journeys, offering ideas, giving advice, and experiencing “wow” moments. When you feel alone or struggling, it can also be a great place to find encouragement. It is also a good place to communicate your own breakthroughs and feelings.
I encourage joining groups that have that genuine feel. Those that feed your soul and fill you with “Joy and Wonder”.
“Psychologists have long noted that comparison is a natural but often harmful human habit. As
Dr. Leon Festinger, who first developed Social Comparison Theory, explained: “There exists, in the human organism, a drive to evaluate his opinions and his abilities. But when it comes to spirituality, that evaluation can keep us from honoring our own unfolding.”
The Truth: You’re Not Late to Your Own Life, Physically or Spiritually.
Your Path Is Uniquely Timed
Time is a language spoken on Earth, not by your soul. From the bigger view, you can’t miss your plane because you are the plane. Every step is right on schedule; you will make it to the gate on time, even if it gets delayed or rerouted.
Growth Isn’t Linear
Healing and awakening don’t follow a straight line. Sometimes it’s spirals, sometimes zigzags, sometimes a nap. But every movement is part of your unfolding. The detours are part of the unique design.
How to Stop Comparing Your Spiritual Path
Shift From Comparison to Curiosity
Instead of asking, “Why am I not there yet?” try: “What’s opening for me right now?” That subtle shift turns pressure into presence. Curiosity is lighter than comparison — it opens rather than contracts.
Anchor in Your Own Frequency
Take a breath and ask: “What frequency am I moving with right now?” It might feel expansive, grounded, tender, or even quiet. That’s okay. Frequency isn’t a finish line or a number to measure. It’s the living vibration of your being in this moment — and it naturally shifts as you grow.
“I wrote more about this in What Spirituality Looks Like in a Messy, Beautiful World, where I explore how spirituality in 2025 (or whatever year you land in) is less about perfection and more about presence — meeting the sacred in the middle of your real, beautiful, chaotic life.”
Celebrate Others Without Losing Yourself
Someone else’s breakthrough doesn’t make you “less.” It’s like hearing a song that isn’t yours — you can enjoy it, even dance to it, while still knowing your own melody is just as needed.
A Journaling Suggestion for “Where Am I”
The best way to quiet your comparison is to look into yourself. Journaling gives you a chance to listen truthfully, to see your own place with your eyes wide open. Take some time to sit with these questions and allow yourself to flow with them, allowing your truth to emerge simply.
- When was the last time I caught myself comparing my spiritual path to another’s? What did it stir in me?
- Looking back six months or a year, how has my energy shifted? Where have I softened, deepened, or surprised myself?
- What moments, practices, or places reconnect me to my own frequency?
- In what ways can I honor and celebrate the growth of others without losing my footing?
- If I stopped measuring for a while and simply allowed it to happen, what might open up for me?
Write freely, without editing. Then, revisit your answers in a few weeks or months. Notice what’s changed once you’ve given yourself more permission to allow instead of compare. This reflection becomes a mirror, showing you how your frequency naturally unfolds when you trust your own timing.
Enlightenment Isn’t a Competition (There’s No Gold Medal)
The Myth of Being “More Spiritual Than Thou”
If spirituality had a leaderboard, it would be broken by now. The truth is, there’s no first place. There’s just experience, each path weaving into the tapestry.
Why Your Weirdness Is Part of Your Wisdom
Your quirks, your pace, even your doubts — they’re not obstacles, they’re ingredients. They make your path yours. And that uniqueness is the point.
Final Reminder: Trust the Timing of Your Becoming
You are in motion, in bloom, in rhythm with your own becoming. Every movement you make is part of the masterpiece you are weaving.
So take a breath. Trust your bright, wondrous frequency. And remember: the path has always been dancing in harmony with you — every step right on time.
Please, please, please stop Comparing Your Spiritual Path to others!
“Your path has always been keeping time with you — every step right on time.”
— Aureleynia