Society today has a huge impact on how we view ourselves and our lives. Especially social media. Does anyone else scroll through their feed and feel worse and worse about themselves and their lives as they go? I did. Until I realized this- social media doesn’t display someone’s true day to day life, emotions, circumstances, etc. Social media only shows what someone wants it to show… usually all their good days, “perfect” poses, fun trips, parties and celebrations… the memories that want to be remembered, not forgotten.
Society sends us messages that tell us we need to look a certain way, have certain friends, go on certain trips, have lots of money, live in a big house, drive this car… live THIS life. A lot of the time the pictures in social media aren’t even true… they could be filtered, altered, edited.
It’s time that we change this… change what our social media feeds display, change how we view others and their lives. No one lives a perfect picture life. Everyone struggles. Everyone goes through ups and downs… and those downs usually are not posted or openly talked about.
I’m not saying you have to post about your anxiety, your depression, your tears, your pain, your bad days… What I’m saying is that it’s time to switch our mindsets. When you open that app- Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat, VSCO, etc- know what you’re about to get yourself into. And know this- the messages that society gives do not have to become your own beliefs and perspectives. You are allowed to believe in yourself. In fact, you SHOULD believe in yourself. Why wouldn’t you? You’re worthy, beautiful… intentionally made just the way YOU are!!
Be confident in you. Be confident in your life. Don’t let society tell you how to live. Live the way YOU want to live.
Today’s culture makes it hard to be positive and confident in yourself. It’s not easy. According to the National Science Foundation, an average person has about 12,000 to 60,000 thoughts per day. Of those, 80% are negative and 95% are repetitive thoughts. If we repeat those negative thoughts, we think negative way more than we think positive thoughts. Not all negative thoughts are necessarily bad to have… it’s how we allow them to effect us. YOU have the power and authority to change the way you think. It’s not easy. But you CAN do it. Reappraise the way you think. What does this mean? Reappraise- assess again or in a different way. When you have a negative thought, challenge it. The more you challenge your thoughts and CHOOSE to think differently, the more the positive thoughts will set in.
Reappraising my thoughts changed my life. It’s still a battle each day to fight off the negative thoughts, but I’m able to listen to the positive more than the negative. It’s changed the way I view myself and has given me more empathy for others and their lives.
Next time you look at those perfect beach pictures of your peers, remember that their lives are not perfect. That picture doesn’t define them. And it doesn’t define you either.
Comparison through social media, and just in general, is the thief of ALL joy. Again… Be confident in you. Be confident in your life. Don’t let society tell you how to live. Live the way YOU want to live.
How do you view social media? Do you need to change who you follow? Do you need to remind yourself of the truth that you’re beautiful the way you are? Maybe you even need to delete the app and take a break?! How can you move forward and be kind to yourself?
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