(MENAFN- Gulf Times) Are you on social media? Do you compare yourself to others? Have you ever sat down and thought about why you do that? Social comparison is when you compare yourself to others doing better or worse than you. Okay, so let's stop there… Now ask yourself again, why do we humans like to compare ourselves to others, especially when it's not a comparable comparison? What's my point? All I hear about nowadays is everyone talking about popular social media figures on Instagram, Snapchat or Facebook. I am not writing this article to bash social media, new technology and our current culture, I'm focusing on you and every other human out there. I want you all to stop comparing yourselves to these so-called perfect accounts, the perfect bodies, the perfect bank accounts, the perfect marriages, the perfect lives or whatever other assumption you might have made from such little information.
Now let's be serious, do you really think that every picture, post, update or snap you see on social media is 100% real? I will help with you with that, NO! Social media is not only a new platform for networking, staying in touch with friends and keeping up with the latest news and trends, but it is a game. It's also a business and people know how to play that type of game too. What's bothering me though is that I keep hearing many men and women talking about people on social media, either bashing on their perfectly airbrushed good looks, deeply jealous from their ‘oh so perfect lives', wish they could have all that money or saddened by their ‘happiness,' but why all the assumptions? Do you really know if this person is really happy? Are they actually living the life they portray on social media? Let me answer that one for you too, NO!
Let me take this a step further and use myself as an example. I have a social media account where I try to motivate my country, my community but generally all humans to live healthy and active lifestyles. I try to motivate others through my personal wellness journey and through current and real examples from my life. Therefore, my account's purpose is to motivate, inspire and show people how one can incorporate little things in their daily routines to help balance this type of lifestyle. My objective is not to portray my life in a way that looks easy and perfect to others, it is not a autobiography or book of memoirs. Although I strive to stay away from being labelled by general stereotypes and assumptions, it seems I will never be able to stop people from making their assumptions. I do not share my personal woes or ‘not so happy' stories, that does not mean I am the happiest person on Earth or that I am living the perfect life. Just because someone does not share their problems, does not always complain or does not show the more challenging aspects of their personal lives on social media, it does not mean that they are living a perfect life. Us humans just like to naturally assume and fill in the gaps of information because our mind is playing its own game. Everyone has problems and everyone has downs in life as they have ups. Let me be clear, of course I have problems, I definitely have complaints and do go through many 'unhappy moments just like every other human does, but I choose not to focus on these matters, I choose to ignore my own mind's games and focus on the good parts, be thankful for all that I have and try to spread that vibe. Stop comparing yourselves to others and just focus on your own well-being, it should be your priority: let those social media accounts play their own games and compare yourself to the realest comparison, yourself.
The author is a wellness advocate and influencer @keys2balance.
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