In scrolling through the snapshots of seemingly perfect lives on your Tik Tok or Instagram feed it is easy to fall into the traps of competition and comparison. Algorithms push media that attract engagement, this supports that many influencers we assess ourselves against are popular because their lives are out of the ordinary. This overexposure to influencers with extraordinary lives normalized by social media can distort our personal understanding of what health and happiness looks like, leading to struggles with self esteem in our generation in unprecedented amounts. Social media can be a site for community and inspiration, but it can be just as damaging when explored with the wrong mindset. It is easy to look around and feel as if everyone else has it “all figured out”. You are not alone in experiencing an individual pressure to strive for impossible perfection, here are a few things to keep in mind when falling into the trap of self comparison.
Setting physical and emotional boundaries with social media
Drawing distance between our online and real life can help us step back and reflect on our own personal goals and desires, separated from the messages fed to us by algorithms. Online images are often curated highlight reels and do not reflect the complex realities behind the screen, everyone you encounter is going through something you know nothing about. A digital detox can be a great way to reframe our relationship with social media and examine its impact on our own self esteem. Curating a social media algorithm for yourself through the content can greatly improve your mental health. Content that holds a positive space in imperfections of life can be a great way to challenge these unrealistic standards. The content we consume drastically impacts the way we view ourselves and our lives, be mindful of how certain influencers make you feel.Â
Focusing on our own personal growth
Without striving for perfection, cultivating a life we are excited to live and working towards goals can provide us with a sense of self efficacy. Try removing yourself from competition with others and compare to your past self, refocusing the energy of comparison. It is important to approach self improvement with self compassion and focusing on your own journey is a great way to rethink comparison. Just because something works for someone, doesn’t mean it will work for you and that’s okay!
You are enough
I hope you can find peace of mind in knowing that you are far from alone in this feeling. that one’s happiness or beauty does not have to mean the absence of your own. Setting healthy boundaries with social media is a form of selfcare as it is impossible to capture the authentic complexities and challenges of living completely on social media. Instead of consuming try creating, and exploring what routines and habits you can incorporate that bring joy into your life. You are on your own path and it is essential to approach comparison with compassion, life is not a competition or a race and you are enough!