Everything Is Not What It Seems

Source: https://giphy.com/gifs/wizards-of-waverly-place-aS2soamZoeO5i

I've been seeing a lot of quotes and posts recently, reminding - and almost encouraging - people that everything on the internet, i.e. social media platforms - ok Instagram - is not always as good as it seems.

These posts really come in handy when you've just seen one too many holiday posts of people in perfect bikinis, having perfect fun with their perfect friends (or family) in a perfect location. Or it could even just be their life, in general, that looks perfect, i.e. certain skills they may have or things they may be achieving or have achieved.

We've all been there, and we've all caught ourselves feeling majorly jealous and as though our lives are completely dreadful in comparison (maybe not that deep haha).

You may think I've come here to encourage you and tell you that actually their lives aren't as perfect as they appear. And that is true because nobody is perfect, as hard as we might try. But my message here is that you don't need to use that to boost your ego. That's not healthy.

What you need to realise instead is that the presence of somebody else's joy or talent does not equate to the absence of your own. In this day and age, we tend to seek our joy and validity in likes, comments and general attention from people on social media. But at the end of the day, this never satisfies us. And it shouldn't. Because peoples' opinions are meaningless!! They are worthless (to a certain extent hehe).

What you need to focus on is who you are as a person, who you know yourself to be. People's opinions change like the wind. Someone could go from being well-loved to completely cancelled in a few moments due to one factor: information. What you know about somebody defines - to you - who they are. And that's how the internet works! (Not really, but for the purposes of my point here, yes).

So, what I'm saying here is that you should know yourself as an individual, and allow that knowledge to stand against the opinions of others - and not just their opinions, but your own mind that tries to tell you your life isn't as good as theirs appears to be. You are uniquely wonderful and blessed. Sometimes you just need to take time out to realise that and recognise how you have been blessed and what you have achieved! We all need to do this sometimes. Take time out to be grateful, because when you sit there and recognise all the good things you have [had] you won't even be able to continue to hold onto that jealousy, because you are you and no one else is! That is a superpower. So use it.

Also acknowledge the ways in which you aren't as good as others hehehe. If there are areas you feel you need to develop; use the skills you perceive them as having to motivate you. Take what you see being used as an asset to them, and make the effort to change your character in a way that benefits you and the people around you (don't do it for the sake of becoming like them. No need to be a copycat!) Just don't let that feeling sit as jealousy, because that's not productive for anyone, and it may really have you resenting somebody for no reason.

What I'm saying, in summary, is that you are a powerful being! You have great things in your reach, and there is so much you can achieve (if you want to be an Instagram influencer, you can do it!!!*) Don't let the internet fool you into believing otherwise.




*Oh, and if you thought this remark was serious, we can't be friends.

Also, if you watched Wizards of Waverly Place, you are elite!!