Recently, I’ve noticed how much I’ve been on social media. As soon as I wake up, during breaks at work, while I’m waiting for my coffee, every free moment, I am scrolling. You think you’re going through your feed aimlessly, but then you see a picture or a like that you wish you hadn’t. And that’s when I realized that this scrolling isn’t so aimless after all. Maybe it actually is affecting you.

From celebrities who live their lives constantly at glamorous events to couples who travel the world to normal people we know, their lives are laid out in a series of one-by-one squares. And from the few seconds we see a picture or a video, without even realizing, we create an image in our heads of who we think this person is and how they live their lives. Spoiler alert, people only post their greatest moments and when they’re looking their best. It’s pretty obvious but I think it’s something we forget a lot of the times.

This video is really powerful, and it's the inspiration for this article:

What you see on your feed is from the highlight of someone’s day. From that, you see the best moment, then the best picture they took, which is edited and filtered. We’re all just going through our day and posting our highlights--and then we’re comparing ourselves with each others’ highlights.

It’s so easy to create a seemingly perfect life or relationship. In reality that’s all it is, simply created. No one is always having an amazing day and will show themselves when they’re crying alone in their room with a pint of ice cream. Every photo has been captured and crafted to an aesthetic of being happy. Social media isn't an accurate representation of who someone is. And the sad thing is, we’re constantly being put down in our real lives by something that’s not real. We’re getting upset over an image that’s not always reflective of the actual moment.

This isn’t a pledge for me to stop using social media nor a cry for everyone else too. Social media can be great; you can connect with people, learn new things, and open your mind to new ideas. But at times, it can take you away from fully being in the moment in whatever you’re doing and whoever you’re with. I think that sometimes we need to take a break and stop scrolling so that we can fully be present. And it’s important to remember that everything is not 100 percent authentic or what you interpret it as online. Don’t let these rows of squares and little hearts put you down. Clear your feed for a clear mind. Unfollow the people that make you upset, because you don’t owe anyone a follow. And create a space where when your scrolling aimlessly you feel inspired.