It's Friday night again and you find yourself sitting in pajamas, watching a movie, and eating some cookie dough. This seems like a good way to spend your night. You're relaxed and not worried about anything. It feels like you're living your best life and nothing can bring you down!
That is until you log onto Instagram.
Your relaxing night-in turns into a one person pity party filled with all the self-loathing you can muster up.
A girl from high school is celebrating her one year anniversary with her husband and traveling the world and I mean all over the world! Europe, Asia, South America, and any other place you've ever wanted to go, she's already been there and put it on Instagram for her thousands of followers to envy.
Yet, all I've done since graduating High School is graduate college.
Then there's your friend who manages to keep his entire life in one color palette and clever captions.
Yet, you're still sitting in your pajamas and eating cookie dough wishing you were living their lives. Isn't it ridiculous the power social media has over our lives?
Ladies and gents, this is nothing new!
According to Social Comparison Theory, we determine our worth by comparing ourselves to others. It's been around for ages and social media just amplifies it because we present ourselves in a way we hope others would approve. When others don't measure up to our standards of approval, we feel rejected.
Unfortunately, the need to compare ourselves is in our nature. It's not easy to ignore.
We need to remember the difference between social media and reality. Take it from a girl who is guilty of staging a photo just to capture an aesthetically pleasing scene, Instagram isn't real life. If you find the right angle, change the lighting, and add the perfect filter, you too can make others jealous and want to live your life.
Remember that we only see what people post. The people that you spend time comparing yourself to on social media aren't taking the time to post about their struggles and their failures. We typically only post "the good stuff" so others can be happy for us too. Sometimes we even stage photos for the sake of the scenery being "Instagram worthy."
The harsh reality is that your best life wasn't meant to be a fabricated story you made up to make others envious of you. The people you are seeing on Instagram don't always have picture perfect lives. You get a 0.01-second snapshot of their day and you dwell on how their lives are so much better than yours.
Their life wasn't meant to be the object of your jealousy either so do yourself a favor and UNPLUG already.
If you want to travel, plan a road trip without the goal of social media likes in the back of your mind. Don't live for others approval and don't let social media have so much power over your life because keeping up appearances is exhausting and nonessential. Start doing things for you and not for the approval of your online peers.
Lastly, don't limit yourself to one color palette. Live out a life full of vibrant colors.
