The Rose-Colored Filter of Social Media

Everyone looks extremely happy on social media. Scrolling through your timeline, you see photos of people overseas on vacation, couples completely in love, and friends out together having the greatest of times. Jealousy comes really easy when you aren’t experiencing what you’re seeing in that very moment. You could be totally satisfied with your life and content with how things are going, but there’s just something about seeing others post about their own happiness and success that could have you feel like you’re missing out and that can get you down in the dumps. Falling victim to social media envy can be embarrassing but it’s normal. Social media is meant to show off the best times of our lives. We document what makes us happy and share it with others to show how everything is great in that specific point in our life. Through social media, we give this perception that our lives are so put together and we are the happiest we can be because no one wants to willingly share the troubles their going through. 

Comparing yourself to the social media personas of your peers is not only harmful to your mental health but also down right unrealistic. I’ve been through it many times before and have learned several ways to shake off the icky feeling that is social media jealousy:

Realize social media envy goes both ways

Those exact people you find yourself jealous of could just as easily be envious of how they perceive you on social media as you do them. The grass may look greener but in reality we all have our insecurities. Understanding that you are not alone in how you’re feeling is the first step in kicking that envy to the curb.

Keep in mind what you see is all you see

Every photo and video you see is framed to be the best possible version of itself with filters being carefully selected to make media more appealing. However, you’re only looking at what others let you see. This isn’t to say that everyone is secretly miserable behind their social media accounts but rather that you have no real idea what sort of struggles they’re going through behind those seemingly perfect posts. This ideal life you see through posts that you compare yourself to is specifically constructed that way so don’t beat yourself up about not having it. 

Celebrate your own achievements 

Think about what you have currently going for you. You may not have landed your dream job just yet but that could be a work in process. You may have just gotten promoted at your current job, got an awesome grade on a course you’ve had a challenging time in, or even made connections with someone who works in the field of your interest, all of these count as accomplishments and you have a lot to be proud of. Rushing to catch up to others will only hinder your hustle so take things at your own speed.

Turn that jealousy into drive

The worst thing you can do is let that jealousy turn into resentment. Take that desire you have for the ideal life seen in your peer’s social media posts and use that as a source of motivation. So instead of being bummed reading a post about someone starting their dream internship/job at some distinguished company, start researching and planning around how you can begin your own career. Put yourself out there and don’t let someone else’s success outshine your potential.

Take a break from social media

Take some time for yourself by unplugging. This is a lot easier said than done when social media is your primary way to interact with family, friends, and colleagues but even just a few days off can really be good for your mental health.  This will allow you to really focus on what’s best for you and can give you a better appreciation of the great things you have going on in your life. 

Social media is made up of the highlights of our reality so comparing your accomplishments and inner struggles to superficial posts is just a bad deal altogether. You don’t need to validate your own success based on the posts you read because we are all different and you are worthy of happiness all the same. Take a step back, breathe, and recognize that you are one impressive human being!

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