Everything on social media is one-sided. Everything you see is chosen by the person who posts it, so it is up to you to make your assumptions of what their life is like. It is easy to constantly scroll and see people on vacation all the time, wearing the perfect clothes, and having a bunch of friends.
The problem with this is that we have no idea what is going on in that person’s life. It isn’t right, but we forget that there are actually people behind those perfect posts. We get caught up in the lighting and all the photos and assume they live a celebrity lifestyle.
This can cause us to feel extremely inadequate and feel like that we have to make our social media presence equally “perfect,” and in that, we lose who we really are.
So how do we stay real and not get caught up in the trap of faking what our lives are like?
It is really simple, but I think the only thing we can do is to be transparent about who we are. If you love to post perfectly edited photos because editing is your thing… then do it! But if you find a picture of you and your friends laughing and you feel like it’s showing who you truly are, do not be afraid to show that! Do not be afraid to put your art or your writing out there. Use it to show people your talents and interests. Just do not give in to the idea that your photos have to have 75 filters and your teeth have to be whitened. We are still people.
It is so freeing posting the photos I want without thinking twice about it because I think it’s cool or funny. I love doing what I want and not falling into the trap that I have to blot out my imperfections or photoshop my body.
So stay real.
The world craves simplicity whether they realize it or not and us being real will help people not feel so lonely. For a generation so connected, we are incredibly disconnected in real life. Be simple. Be real. Don’t be afraid to share your story, your struggle, your imperfections!
You never know whose life you could change by being who you are.
Read more perspectives on social media from other GirlSpring contributors:
- The Truth About Your Voice on Social Media
- A Better Way for Girls to Use Social Media
- Life Without Social Media—Is It Possible?
Or check out these statistics on social media usage!
