Do you ever feel like you’re constantly comparing yourself to others when you’re checking social media? If you do, you’re not alone. According to Today.com, “A whopping 88 percent of women said they compare themselves to images in the media, with half saying the comparison is unfavorable”. You see other people’s weekends, outfits, and seemingly perfect lives. Their lives, and yours, aren’t perfect. However, it’s really hard to not compare yourself to a perfect picture. I was tired of the constant comparisons that I was doing, so I decided to stop checking Instagram daily.Â
Besides comparisons, one of the worst things to come from Snapchat, Instagram, Facebook, and other social media, is filters. Filters on your pictures can alter face shape, body shape, and “fix” many other “imperfections” on a person. The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has actually begun a campaign, called the “Filterdrop” campaign. The #Filterdrop campaign states filters should not be applied to social media adverts [ads] if they exaggerate the effect of the product.” Many influencers were using filters to show how much better their skin looked just by using this magic product, but really they were using filters too. I’ve also had bad experiences with filters.
One of my biggest insecurities has always been my nose; I have Jewish and Italian DNA, which both tend to have bigger noses. I have finally started to feel like my nose does fit my face the way it is supposed to, but it took me a long time. However, when I put on a silly Snapchat filter, I almost always notice that my nose gets a little bit slimmer, a little bit more “perfect” as filters believe.Â
The constant comparisons to these “perfect” pictures was making me feel horrible about myself. I felt like I would never be as beautiful, never have an outfit that was that coordinated, and never go to an event that was that fun! It was so frustrating because I even knew that most of those pictures were fake. Some of these pictures I had seen taken and had known that the person’s life didn’t really look like their newest Instagram post.Â
While not checking Instagram daily doesn’t mean I never go on it, it does mean that I probably only check Instagram 2-3 times a month now, or just when I post something. I have felt so much better not seeing the perfect Instagram picture and immediately not feeling good enough.
The only downside to not checking Instagram daily is feeling out of the loop sometimes on friends’ life updates. However, it’s forced me, in a sense, to check in with my friends more often through text or, get this, check in more often in real life. A simple “how are you?” text goes a long way. In no way am I saying that everyone needs to stop going on Instagram for the rest of your life, but I want to challenge you to take a break and see if your comparisons stop too.