This title should make each of us pause for a moment and reflect. 
Read it again. How does it make you feel? Does it sound like something that could come out of my mouth? (I hope not). But, how does it make you feel?
- Gross
- Inadequate
- Lame
- Shallow
- Boring
- Angry
- Paranoid
Not positive feelings! Why then do so many of us think this way about our lives when we’re viewing social media status updates and posts? Let’s dive in a little deeper as to exactly why these feelings come about in the short list below.
- Friends/Followers – Be honest. Of the people you call friends or follow socially, how many of them do you have a truly “meaningful” relationship with? Why are so many comparisons of my life to yours made every day? Why is it that because I can see your newsfeed, you’re instantly a measuring stick to my life?
- Stuff Posts – I bought stuff I really didn’t need, but you wished you had. That makes me awesome and you wanting to be awesome with my newly purchased stuff. Don’t take into account the question if I could even afford it, or if it was a wise financial decision? Just know I have it and you don’t.
- Experience Posts – I’m in Hawaii, the Virgin Islands, in Aspen Skiing, at an expensive restaurant, and you only dream of visiting or experiencing these places. How could life be so good?
I’m going to get in the front of the line here. I’m guilty of thinking ALL OF THE ABOVE! I’ve said it in previous posts and I’ll say it again. Social media is a great tool for communication (huge understatement) and has totally reinvented the definition of “conversation” in the future. It allows us to stay in contact with people and potentially even connect with individuals through new channels.
However, social media a HORRIBLE measure of the happiness, success, struggles, and meaningful relationships in our lives. Social media is an extremely dangerous thermometer, yet most reading this post use it to take the temperature of our lives on a daily basis. It’s human nature to compare, but this comparison can’t come to the point of leading an unfulfilling or unhappy life. “Keeping up with the Joneses” paranoia will set in and this is a race you or I will NEVER win. You can’t, because you’re not the one running it. You will always be in second place playing keep up. It’s exhausting. I know people running this race. Do you?
ACTION ITEM:
- Set your own goals and pursue them aggressively with passion. For you, not for anyone else.
- Put the phone down. Instagram will stay in business while you’re enjoying the company of your closest friends.
- Don’t forget to smile. When I take a moment to count my blessings (and there are many), the paranoia subsides instantly.
- Your life doesn’t suck!
