Let’s get real, in the age of social media it is hard to be content with what you are doing in any given moment. Take Snapchat for example; instead of really loving the fact that you are chilling watching a movie with friends, you are stuck in a state of FOMO watching the snap stories of your other friends out at a party. Instead of actually watching a concert, you’re too consumed with getting the best lyrics recorded for you snap. It seems as though activities have become revolved around doing it for the snap story… or Instagram.
I know I personally do this way too often. I have fallen into the habit of checking every facet of social media just to convince myself that nothing of importance is going on and that I am okay doing what I’m doing. I am constantly comparing myself to what I see on other Instagram accounts, just to find some kind of validation that I’m a “cool” girl. And let me just interject right now that I am a huge fan of social media for sharing your story as a means of self-expression through photos and short videos. (I am not a fan of when it becomes a mode of bliss-stealing negativity.) But my worth shouldn’t come from what other people perceive me as; it should come from my own notions and beliefs about myself.
I guess you could say it’s the age-old story of comparison being the thief of joy. I reached a point where I was robbing myself of my own happiness and the desire for just one more like on my photo. I have recently taken a step back to evaluate my social media usage and this is what I have found:
1. Instead of putting your worth in the amounts of likes you get; post the photo because you love it and want to share the joy you find in it with everyone else.
2. It’s okay to document what you are doing, but maybe allow yourself one adventure-filled day sans cell phone every once in a while and truly be unattached.
3. Share the goodness of your life, but don’t let what others are doing discourage you from the path you are on! You are living out your life in exactly the way you were meant to, so be content with that!
Again, this by no means is a bash on social media in its entirety because oh boy, do I love Insta as much as the next girl. Instead, I encourage us to focus on using it more as a form of self-expression than a form of comparison. By this I mean: if you like the photo, post it; if you like the snap, send it. We must remember to keep in mind that all of us are unique individuals; discovering hidden places, going on awesome day trips, or eating a really nice meal. All of us are doing the best we can of what we’ve got. We can either choose to allow the perceptions social media creates to make us fee less than, OR we can choose to make the best of whatever situation we find ourselves and have a super rockin’ time doing it (with the plus of a really artsy photo if that happens to be the case!).
