Today we live in a world where social media centers our every day lives. Whether it’s posting videos or pictures on Instagram or Snapchat, watching makeup and hair tutorials on YouTube, or discussing the latest memes you saw on Twitter to your friends, social media has changed the way we interact and communicate with others.
Although social media has its benefits such as communicating with old or new friends, family members, or people from all over the world, it also has its downfalls. A few examples are:
- Social media opens the door for cyberbullying and invasion of people’s privacy.
- It opens the door for strangers or anonymous users of these websites to send you messages through your inbox.
- Last, it opens the door for people to compare their lives to celebrities and other ordinary people who are accomplishing remarkable things in their lives.
It is a bad habit we have all done before even if it was not by scrolling through social media. Although it is hard to not compare our lives to others when we see others around us succeeding and rewarded for their accomplishments, it is not good for us either.
Here’s a list of five reasons why you should not compare yourself to others.
1. There will never be another you.
If you look around, you will find that no one looks like you, even if that person is in your family. You will also find that even if you have a friend who has a lot in common with you, there will still be things you do not have in common. Honestly, that is something to be grateful for. This means that you will have a distinct way of expressing yourself to others and be the first person to do something that no one has yet to do. How awesome is that?
2. You are unique in your own way.
Everyone is special and unique in their own way. Some people can Double Dutch while others can solve math problems without having to use a calculator. Whatever the case, maybe there is something unique to be found in everyone. Even if it that does not get you any attention or fame from others, standing out from others will certainly show your uniqueness to the people around you.
3. It is not healthy.
Spending every minute of your day comparing yourself to the people around you is not healthy. If you constantly point out your flaws and compare them to what you see in others, you will continue to feel insecure and have low self-esteem. Instead of pointing out your flaws and imperfections, remind yourself of the positive qualities you have and fall in love with them.
4. It is not a competition.
Life is not a competition nor a race. Every person you see has a separate way of living their life and a different approach to achieving their goals. Some people take longer to reach their goals while others reach their full potential quicker than others. No matter which group you fall into, success will always come to people who have patience and work diligently to get there.
5. You are beautiful!
I know that people have probably already told you this many times before, but you must believe that you are beautiful. There is something beautiful about each one of us and it does not just come from outer beauty. The way we present ourselves to others reveals our true beauty. Even if everyone you meet does not appreciate your beautiful qualities or thinks you’re beautiful, remember that you are.
Now, I hope you realize that there is beauty found in each of one of us. Do not try to be a clone of someone else but learn to love and appreciate who you are so that even if your imperfections are illuminated by others, you know your truth… the gift of beauty that resides within.