“Be thankful for what you have; you’ll end up having more. If you concentrate on what you don’t have, you will never, ever have enough.” – Oprah
It’s no secret that the majority of posts we see on social media are a filtered version of reality. A carefully curated presentation of the idyllic life. Despite what we know we sometimes can’t help but get caught up in the “picture perfect” lives of others and compare it with our own.
I think it took me seeing multiple REAL life moments from some of the “authentic” people I follow on Instagram to truly grasp how distorted my perception has become on what I considered someone else’s reality.
Don’t get me wrong, it’s not like I have witnessed any of these people doing anything out of the ordinary. In fact, that probably was the biggest shock of all, they are all ordinary. The sky isn’t always blue wherever they go, they don’t have a flawless sun kissed tan, their kids drive them as crazy as my kids do with me, they aren’t eating the organic food they swear by and they’re not doing yoga in the rain while surrounded by their best plant friends.
So what’s my point?
Don’t be fooled by the filtered snippets you see on social media and get carried away with the assumption that their entire life must be that way. You really don’t know what is going on underneath the surface or behind closed doors. It’s just as important to check in with the people who are posting happy snaps as you would with someone who posts a negative one.
Oh, and for those of you who are reading this and have the beautiful looking social media feeds, good on you!! I have read studies that have found that in some cases, faking happiness on social media, while often detrimental, can also be an effective means of fighting mental illness.
So, whether you post a stunning filtered image or an original unedited photo make sure you do it for you and not for the likes, follows or recognition of others.
Focus on your own reality and enjoy a life that feels good for you!
Thanks for reading and don’t forget to share your smile with the world today. ✌