There are days I’ll sign into Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, etc. – almost every social media platform and take a good look at what other people are doing. Every picture I’ll stumble across is beautiful. The subject, the person, the environment is breathtaking, and it’s stunning. I’ll read their posts, and they all seem so happy, humorous, adventurous… It all looks so perfect. Why isn’t my life like theirs? 

Children are being born, beautiful engagement photos, wedding announcements, people out partying, celebrating life. They look so funny; they look interesting. My life isn’t that interesting. It almost makes me feel like I’m standing in place. 

Something to remember, people don’t post their worst moments on social media. The pictures you’re seeing, they’re staged, probably have been taken like 20 different times, in a million different poses. How many times did they take that gorgeous picture before deciding on that specific one? A lot. They’ve taken a lot of different pictures before deciding that was the one, that was the perfect picture.

The inspirational quotes are often there for themselves, more than many other people. Yes, these life events are real, but who puts every single detail leading up to the life event? Most of the people on your social media following aren’t perfect, and they aren’t celebrities. These people didn’t add every single detail to show how they got to that event. Social media isn’t real. Some of it, yes, it’s real. It’s, honestly, what’s going on in their life. 

What about my life? It’s average. I’m working on getting everything in order, and I’m trying my hardest to find happiness. I will find my happiness, but I’m not posting every step of the way on my social media accounts. Even with myself, people see happy moments. They’ll see exactly what I want them to see. 

I talk to the people in my life about what’s really going on, the real people, not the followers on social media. The followers on social media, they’ll get little quips, silly jokes, a funny attitude, a fun life. They see nothing other than what I expect them to see, and that’s all. I believe most of us can say the same.

You’ll post what you want other people to see. You’ll post what you think is best, only the good side of you. That’s why I say I’m done. I’m done letting social media make me feel like I’m not good enough. I will not look at their pages and find myself envious of their lives anymore. Their lives may be good, and they may be great, even. They aren’t exactly what we expect, though.

If you were to see some of the people you follow, you worship on social media, would they be exactly what you think? No, they wouldn’t. They have their bad days, and they have their good days. Just like you, just like me. Follow this, remember. Social media isn’t what you expect. Social media isn’t a way to base your life. It’s a way to interact with others, but remember, and it’s not always real, don’t base your life on it. Take your life and move forward. Don’t let social media impact your life the way it can. Do not let social media make you feel inadequate, either.