Jun 22, 2026 · 10 min · 7 segments
This episode looks at how comparison quietly shows up in the lives of single parents and the impact it has on confidence, mood, and how we see ourselves. From social media scrolling to conversations…
Orla DonoghueHost
[gentle music] Feeling overwhelmed by the challenges of being a single parent? You are not alone.
I'm Órla, a life coach for single parents, and I'm here to help you feel calmer, more confident, and more in control of your single parent journey.
For me, as I record, I live beside playing fields, and there is a school sports day, which is quite loud in the background, so I'm really hoping it doesn't make any sound in this podcast.
But it is a sign that the summer is here, and the sun, well, for today anyway, is shining, which always makes me happy.
So today's episode, have you ever found yourself going about your day absolutely fine, and then suddenly, after maybe a quick scroll on social media or a WhatsApp message from a friend, your mood, it just drops? And it's not always obvious at first, but something you've seen, a post, a conversation, or just even a snapshot of someone else's life, suddenly it makes you feel like you don't quite add up, like you're behind, or you're just not doing enough, or you're just not getting it right.
Now, as single parents, this can hit really hard because we already are carrying so, so much, and comparison has a way of creeping in quietly without us even realizing it.
We have enough on our plates without constantly measuring ourselves against everyone else.
So in today's episode, we're going to look at why comparison shows up so strongly when you are parenting alone and what it's actually doing to your confidence and, most importantly, how to stop comparing yourself to others and focusing back in on yourself.
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[gentle music] Feeling overwhelmed by the challenges of being a single parent? You are not alone.
I'm Órla, a life coach for single parents, and I'm here to help you feel calmer, more confident, and more in control of your single parent journey.
For me, as I record, I live beside playing fields, and there is a school sports day, which is quite loud in the background, so I'm really hoping it doesn't make any sound in this podcast.
But it is a sign that the summer is here, and the sun, well, for today anyway, is shining, which always makes me happy.
So today's episode, have you ever found yourself going about your day absolutely fine, and then suddenly, after maybe a quick scroll on social media or a WhatsApp message from a friend, your mood, it just drops? And it's not always obvious at first, but something you've seen, a post, a conversation, or just even a snapshot of someone else's life, suddenly it makes you feel like you don't quite add up, like you're behind, or you're just not doing enough, or you're just not getting it right.
Now, as single parents, this can hit really hard because we already are carrying so, so much, and comparison has a way of creeping in quietly without us even realizing it.
We have enough on our plates without constantly measuring ourselves against everyone else.
So in today's episode, we're going to look at why comparison shows up so strongly when you are parenting alone and what it's actually doing to your confidence and, most importantly, how to stop comparing yourself to others and focusing back in on yourself.