“So when you see your friend post pics of her and her boo taking a trip to a beautiful island far away, know that they are dealing with real relationship challenges like you and I.”

The world of social media has turned out to be a blessing and a curse.  On one side of the spectrum we are able to connect with friends and family that we may otherwise be estranged from due to distance and life circumstances.  Researchers have concluded that social media has a positive impact on our psychological state in that we feel more connected to others.  This is a good thing.

On the other side, we are faced with being exposed to the daily routines and life happenings of others; feeling pressured to present ourselves in the best light on a daily basis.  When we are continually viewing the lives of others in comparison to our own, it can be detrimental to our emotional and psychological state.

Regardless of what people choose to portray about themselves online, please know that what you see online is not what you get in real life.  Let’s take me, for example.  Although I will not post when I have had the week from hell or I have had one too many phone calls from my son’s teacher’s (yes, I meant to pluralize the word teacher), know that my life is not perfect.  Although my life has various ups and downs and I do not wish to publicly announce my life lows, know that life challenges do occur like everyone else that is alive and has a pulse.

So when you see your friend post pics of her and her boo taking a trip to a beautiful island far away, know that they are dealing with real relationship challenges like you and I.  When you see the mom of the year posting pics of her straight A student-daughter, know that there are other issues in her life that are affecting her on a daily basis.

Bottom line, none of us are perfect.  We all have to deal with the challenges of navigating relationships and life’s challenges.  So, instead of using social media as a foundation to compare yourself to others, use it as a platform to empower yourself to be your best self.  Connect with others that share like-minded views that empower you to be your authentic self.  Avoid the pitfalls of comparing yourself to others.  Trust me!  What you see online is not what it is.

~Hilda

Connect with Hilda on IG at @hildafields