What do we do to make others see us in a positive light? Do we go out with friends after a really long day at work? Do we pretend we have money and use our credit card to buy drinks for that girl we see at the end of the bar? Do we lie to ourselves, pretending that everything is perfectly okay with us emotionally? I know that I have done most of these. (I have never bought drinks for anybody without first speaking to them).
We pretend so much. We put our happiness on social media. We post "super cool" things on snapchat to make others jealous. We post our food or inspirational quotes on Instagram. We do something on Vine, but I honestly couldn't tell you what. Our imaginations are vivid.
We pretend we don't have problems. Both I, and one of my colleagues here at Odyssey have written about this issue. What we post on social media isn't real. It's a superficial, two-dimensional surface image of what is going on in our lives. We refuse to let others see the damaged pieces of our lives because we are afraid they will judge us. We are afraid that people will see our lives for the chaos they truly are, instead of this perfect life of which others should be jealous. We need to come clean.
We are all guilty of this. When I'm happy, I post on social media. I share my positivity, and happiness because I want others to be happy for me. I want others to see that I'm going somewhere with my life. I am going to use an example from my life, mostly because I am trying to be a happier person and because I am trying to be more transparent and accepting of myself.
Example: On Facebook I post a link to a happy song I heard and want other people to listen to. On Instagram I post an inspirational photo of a little girl standing next to a sign that reads, "Follow your calling. Trust your talent. Chase your dream. Believe in yourself." On Snapchat I have been taking videos of the fish I am watching while someone is gone. Honestly, this all does seem pretty vague. Some people would just see it as random pictures. Here is my thoughts behind these actions.
I posted the song (Love With Your Life by Hollyn) on Facebook because it made me feel happy, because I have been feeling pretty bad lately and want to start being happier. I just had my dosage of anti-depressant doubled (because I had the other Rx for 10 years) and I started seeing a therapist two weeks ago so I can learn to balance my emotions. I have been dealing with stress at work, and I am working through creating a balance for myself. I posted the picture because I needed those words. I needed the pick-me-up. I needed those words of encouragement. Somebody had sent me the picture a few months ago and had said, "This reminds me of you and I." And I wanted to revisit that happiness. I post videos of the fishy because, even though it isn't like having a dog, it still helps knowing something relies on you and needs you.
So next time someone posts anything on social media realize that, just because someone doesn't post negative problems or challenges on social media, doesn't mean they don't have them. You probably don't post them either. "Nobody wants to see negativity." Bullsh*t, people want to pretend to others that everything is perfect so they can convince themselves. Keep it real. Don't be cold, hard, shiny plastic.
