255 - The Comparison Episode We Were Scared to Record

255 - The Comparison Episode We Were Scared to Record

From Life Happens with Barb & Michelle by Michelle Maros & Barb Schmidt

April 28, 2026 · 54 min

About this episode

In this episode, Barb and Michelle discuss the pervasive emotion of comparison and its negative effects on mental health.

Comparison is the one emotion everybody feels and nobody admits to — and Barb Schmidt and Michelle Maros of Life Happens with Barb & Michelle were scared to record this episode for a reason. In this raw, unfiltered conversation, they unpack the jealousy, resentment, and quiet self-destruction that comparison leaves behind — and make a case that might surprise you by the end. From Michelle comparing her book sales to her friends' mid-tour, to Barb owning up to something she projected onto Michelle for years, this episode goes places most podcast conversations never do. If you've ever felt something ugly creep in while watching someone else win — and then felt ashamed of it — this one is for you. What you'll take away: Why 85% of your daily thoughts are negative — and how comparison supercharges the loop How jealousy and envy are signals, not character flaws — and what they're actually pointing to The self-talk method for catching comparison before it turns into resentment Why "be better than yesterday" might be quietly doing more damage than good How to let comparison fuel action instead of shame Don't risk letting comparison keep stealing your joy without ever asking what it…

People in this episode

Hosts: Barb Schmidt, Michelle Maros

Topics covered

  • comparison
  • jealousy
  • self-destruction
  • self-talk
  • negative thinking

Keywords

  • comparison
  • jealousy
  • self-talk
  • negative thoughts
  • self-improvement

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