With social media usage climbing daily, we are constantly bombarded with pictures and videos of people who seem to live perfect lives. Notice what I said: they "seem to live perfect lives," not that they actually live perfect lives. I'm the first to tell you that social media is incredibly powerful and that power can be used for good or for bad. As a business major, I see that it has changed marketing completely and has allowed businesses to reach new audiences that they would not have been able to previously. As a person, I see how it also impacts the way that we view our own lives. When you visit someone's Instagram page, for instance, you see little square images/videos that can be used to summarize what they're up to, who they hang out with or what their life is like. The problem with this is that social media is simply a highlight reel of one's life. Therefore it isn't an accurate representation of what that individual's life looks like. We see them smiling, laughing, and overall having a good time, but what we don't see is the anxiety, depression, sadness, anger, etc. that they experience. We see all of the good and none of the bad. I'm not here to tell you to post pictures of yourself crying, but what I want to say to everyone out there who uses social media is that it's okay not to be okay. In fact, it's pretty normal.

Let's get real for a second: Everyone goes through some stuff. Everyone. Not just you. Not just your friends. Not just your family. EVERYONE. That being said, your life will never look the same as someone else's, and it's not supposed to. We are all different people who are called to live different lives. 1 Corinthians 7:17 says "Only let each person lead the life that the Lord has assigned to him, and to which God has called him." You aren't called to live like that girl you look up to or wish you were on Instagram. You aren't called to live like your best friend or your momma. You are called to live the life that the Lord has planned for you. Imagine how boring this world would be if we were all the same and all lived the same lives. That definitely wouldn't bring glory to God and frankly, we would get nowhere in life if that were the case.

I say this because a lot of the time, we compare ourselves to other people. In reality, we can't compare ourselves to others because that would be like comparing apples and oranges. What we do have in common though is that we all go through times of not being okay. We may not see it broadcasted on social media, but everyone struggles. Everyone cries. Everyone gets upset. And everyone is not always okay. So if you feel like something is wrong with you because you think that you're the only person out there who isn't okay, I'm here to tell you that you're wrong. The odds of you being the only person out of more than 7 billion humans worldwide who aren't doing okay are extremely low.

So yes, it's okay not to be okay. And no, you're not the only one who feels the way that you do. It's completely normal to get upset sometimes and to cry or scream. It's okay to seek help in times of need from friends, family members, role models, or licensed therapists. While it's okay not to be okay, it's not okay to expect perfection of yourself. There has only ever been one perfect person who has walked this earth, and He left a long time ago. Don't hold yourself to a standard of perfection because that will only lead you down a long road of disappointment. Don't compare your life to what you see on social media either. Just live the life that you are called to live and remember that we all have our highs and lows and that's completely okay.