We are all guilty of re-watching the same Snapchat story over and over again to find out the "who", "what", and "where" as we are curled up in bed at 9 o'clock on a Friday night watching our newest obsession on Netflix. Everyone else seems to be out and about with the ideal group of friends and top notch plans. Then, with the scroll through your Instagram feed you see models such as Alexis Ren and Savannah Montano living these so called "perfect" lives, with the "perfect" body, and the "perfect" boyfriend. They are off on some tropical island, eating delicious food, cocktails in hand, and rocking the trendiest outfits (of course ones you won't be able to afford in your lifetime).
Considering the fact that you are in bed, eating popcorn, makeup off, hair tied back, and in the hometown that you have endless complaints about is very likely and common that you will fall into a mindset full of knocking yourself as well as your life. A mindset that will make you feel as if the life you live is not good enough. Unrealistic thoughts will flood your mind leaving you thinking that these so called "perfect" lives are full of nothing but happiness. After all, their bodies are "goals" and they seem to have no work, only play. You will prance around your bedroom in your matching Calvin Klein underwear and sports bra as you try to take equally flattering mirror pictures. You will take several in hopes of capturing the perfect angle, all to prove to yourself that your body can be "goals" too. This whole idea and way of coping when your life doesn't seem to compare to others applies to Snapchat as well. Your friends' Snapchat stories are all full of partying, drinking, friends, food, and an overall so called "good time". So what do you do the second you leave the house? "Hold up...let me snap this!"
Why is it that we are constantly on a mission to prove to others that we do fun things and that our lives are exciting? Is social media solely a place to express ourselves or has it served as a reason to "beat ourselves up", to create a false image for how we want to be portrayed to our followers and friends, and to prove to ourselves that we can be equal to the one with five million followers? I'm not knocking social media nor am I knocking the insanely gorgeous models who work very hard for a living, maybe just in a different way than the majority of us. Although, I am knocking the ones who let the likes get to their heads and get caught up in the competition. The ones who won't settle for appearing average and always must stand out in some way, shape, or form. The ones who crave reassuring compliments on their newest Insta because in order to believe it, they must hear it from others. The ones who knock themselves down because they get too caught up in thinking that the "Instagram Famous" model's pictures are reality; in reality, they are paid to appear like that to you (props to them, because they sure as hell have many of you fooled).
When it comes down to things, they are humans just like me and you. They live in the same world and breathe the same air. We are all faced with the same problems and all deal with struggles from time to time. You go to school and/or go to work and they model for a living, that is their work. Yes you face stress, and news flash, they do too, maybe just in different ways.
Bottom line: One can not judge another based off of solely how they appear on social media. Instagram is going to show the happy bits of their lives in little squares, and Snapchat is going to capture the outings they take on with their friends and family. It is very unlikely for someone to illustrate their weak points and struggles for the world to see; remember this next time it seems as if someone has everything going for them and that "perfect" life. After all, perfection doesn't exist. Perfection: "the condition, state, or quality of being free or as free as possible from all flaws or defects." Notice the words that follow the second or- or as free as possible from all flaws or defects. We all have flaws, whether it is shown physically or not, they are there. Nobody is perfect so stop comparing yourself to others and setting standards that are unreachable.
