Let me start off by saying I don't hate social media, because I actually love it. Social media is a great platform to connect with friends and family; it can make relationships last when distance is involved. It can help different businesses grow and develop a customer platform. The problem with social media is that users tend to put a lot of their self-worth and value into their pages.
Most of us have found ourselves lying in bed while stalking our friends, or even a stranger's, Instagram or Facebook account. We lay there wondering about their life, and even taking it as far as comparing ourselves to them. We wish we were them, in their lives, without all of our own issues and flaws. However, we're all flawed, just in our own ways.
On a personal level, I had to temporarily delete my Instagram app because I noticed that I was putting too much of my self worth into how many people saw my photos and who commented. I spent so much of my time scrolling through accounts that belonged to people that I don't even know. I was always focusing on who liked my photos and liking others to make sure they go the desired amounts of likes. What if you took the time you spent on Instagram, Facebook, or anything else and dedicated it to working out or in my case reading the Bible? You would seriously be surprised.
What we post on our social media is what we want others to see. We post the selfies with the best lighting and the photos with the highest quality. We want to make our profiles as appealing as possible. So, when we think about it, we're looking and comparing our flawed selves to other people's best moments and selfies. We're not seeing the full picture. We have no idea what they are facing and the negative aspects that they didn't post about.
Think about it for a minute. What if everyone posted their problems and flaws? Would we still want their lives instead of ours? Whenever I find myself on someone's account I ask myself these questions. In the end, I'm living the life that is intended for me to live. This life is my life and there's nothing I can change about it, so I strive to live my life and make it all that it can be. I'm not able to change my life by looking at others and being sad about it, so why focus on others?
The media is always showing the flaws in everyone. Its always showing us how to lose 10 pound in ten days but not telling us to love and accept ourselves the way we are.
A challenge to anyone reading this is to delete a social media platform, even for just a day, and see if it changes your mind in any way.
