I feel like social media can really get to you at one point or another, it can sometimes get to me. We can choose to admit it or not, but we tend to envy what other people have, whether it’s the looks, the clothes, the friendships, or the relationships. Social media can cause you to become bitter over someone you may not even know. Crazy, right? People will give their best face on what people view the most. I guess as time has gone on, I’ve realized that things are not always what they seem to be.
The beautiful Chrissy Teigen, married to singer John Legend, has struggled with Postpartum Depression as well as an anxiety disorder she has publicized very recently. Supermodel Alexis Ren, has struggled with an eating disorder you would never even guess from her jaw dropping bikini pictures. It’s almost beautiful how their stories of personal struggle wakes up society and brings us back to reality. They are 100% human, which means they too struggle and feel every emotion in the book. So the fact that people try to live up to how someone else’s life is perceived would be just foolish. Everyone has their bumps, maybe not exposed as apparent as others, but they do exist. And this thing called “social media” only shows society what the person chooses to reveal. So to actually start becoming bitter over someone is a shame, because at the end of the day; it may not even be true, therefore, you’re envying absolutely nothing.
My hope is that you will never choose to compare your life to someone else’s life…ranging from the most famous celebrity to maybe even your best friend. Envy is something extremely dangerous. It causes you to become bitter, and within your bitterness grows a sour and absurd behavior you’ll fail to even recognize. We can even go as far as to convince ourselves to start becoming so much like someone else, tweaking our unique God-given characteristics, that we get completely lose our identity working to become like someone else’s. But, when you remember that each person on this earth has hard seasons just like you and I, you will become less critical of yourself and more open to understanding.
Social media is not everything. It is simply a filter in which people expose what they feel the need to expose. Do not ever let it harden your heart or convince you for a minute you need to become something you are not. No, not everyone’s life is “put together” or “perfect.” Yes, even these billionaire celebrities, or the person you look up to the most. Everyone experiences their own battles, and just because they may not be as transparent to our eyes, doesn’t mean they don’t exist, or that yours are any more abnormal.
Be easy on yourself, don’t let anyone else’s depiction of life convince you yours is any harder than it actually is.
Xoxo,
Bri
justbrithings.wordpress.com 