You’re at a party with all of your friends. You take a picture. Everyone is smiling. You all look like you’re having an amazing time. You MUST capture this.

How could you not? You're having so much fun, right?

But are we REALLY having that much fun? Or do we want to make sure that all of our followers think we are?

Social Media is our world. I mean, you worked hard to get those 2,000 followers, didn’t you? You strategically chose every photo, tweet or idea to post JUST to make sure everyone liked it. You used all those filters to enhance that picture. You even made sure you posted during “social media prime time” to get the maximum amount of likes. It’s truly tasking stuff.

But when did we stop enjoying the moment for what it is? When did we stop living our lives? Why do we feel it’s necessary to Snapchat a friend walking in on her surprise birthday party? Since when do we need to capture the bride as she walks down the aisle when we attend a wedding? (Photographers are hired for that, people) What kind of validation are we seeking from doing this?

Social Media has become a stamp of approval for us. How many times have you said to yourself, “If I don’t get 100 likes on this, I’m deleting it”? We’re all guilty. It’s an easily accessible measure of self-esteem. “She has that many followers because she’s pretty,” “I looked so good in this picture, I got the most likes I’ve ever gotten.” These are statements we use frequently and seriously.

Social Media is a gateway for us to show off. You were in New York City? I couldn’t tell by your 160 second Snapchat Story. You went to a Drake concert? Were you enjoying the show or were you trying to video it the whole time? Again, when did we stop taking in the moment?

Why are we so focused on showing how cool our lives are rather than enjoying them? It’s a constant competition. Who has the most followers, who is having the most fun, who got the most likes. Our desire for this intangible approval is never ending. We’ve created jealousy and envy for relationships, people and lifestyles that aren’t always valid.

The value and worth we place on our lives shouldn’t be measured by likes, comments, retweets, views or followers. It should be placed on genuine moments with people we care about. Not the person we decide to portray on Instagram.