My friends and I have this hobby where we gawk over beautiful girls we see on the internet and wonder why we don’t look like them. With growing popularity in social media sites like Instagram and Twitter, more people are sharing photos than ever before. As the number of photos continue to grow exponentially, the amount of exposure users have to other users increases as well. These sites are truly ground-breaking in the world of communication—they allow us to keep in touch with anyone, and in some cases, even get to know people. They also serve as creative outlets by which many people choose to express artistry and individuality. There are many benefits of having social media accounts and engaging with other users. However, sometimes we have a tendency to take social media a little too seriously.
There are endless amounts of modeling accounts, celebrity pages, and advertisements throughout the internet world. These accounts document super-fit bodies, flawless hair, expensive clothes, and exciting lives. Their captivating photos are quick to capture our attention and draw us into an envious interest into these seemingly perfect lives. We are so quick to believe that these accounts have it all—we wonder why we don’t have the same radiant skin or perfect figure and drive ourselves crazy comparing ourselves to others. It can be discouraging to have the feeling of not being as attractive, successful, or popular as some of the accounts we find online.
When we feel this insecurity and fall victim to our own comparisons, we devalue our very own significance. We look enviously on these accounts but don’t take into consideration that perhaps what we see on the internet is not quite reality. What people post on the internet is only a highlight reel of their lives; they only advertise the fun, happy, and exciting moments. We only see one side of them, and that happens to be the filtered, posed, and edited version of themselves. It may appear as if someone has a perfect life, but truly, they probably worked pretty hard to make it seem that way. My girlfriends and I marvel over the beauty of others that we see on the internet, but what we need to stop doing is comparing ourselves to them. It can be challenging not to, but at the end of the day, we’re all special and valuable in different ways. We’re all irreplaceable in no way inferior to the people we compare ourselves to on the internet. For the one who feels like they aren’t meeting the standards set by the media, you should know that you create your own standard. There is no specific size, shape, or mold that you must conform to. You are unique—so don’t allow social media to shape the way you see yourself.
