I was just reviewing my social media from this morning. Here are a few of my friends’ posts:
-This morning’s 7 mile run in the sun, followed by _____’s special request for chocolate milk.
-Sunday morning run in moody Paris. I’m moving. That’s it.
-Look who climbed Megunticook..post bday celebration!
-Styling. Hair. Makeup. A shoot. A dream come true.
Ok, you should know that I am relentless in my pursuit of a positive and enjoyable Facebook page. I will blete (block + delete) in a nanosecond if someone doesn’t contribute joy and positivity to my Facebook kingdom.
So while I fully expect (and love) these posts from my wonderful fb kingdom dwellers, here’s how a negative Belinda could respond in my head:
Wow, they’re out running and seeing the world and all excited about life while all I get to do is just sit in my chair in my boring living room in the clothes I slept in working on the computer. I haven’t even considered my exercise plan for today (I hate the outdoor pool is closed at the Y), and I have to wash my hair before I can leave the house. I have no life. #loser
Have you been guilty of this kind of thinking? Maybe a smidge?
My actual response to these posts are more like this:
Okay, before I wash my hair, I’m going to pop over to the Y and hit the rowing machine. My friends take care of their bodies. Dang, they’re the best influences ever. And how exciting that someone got to have a dream-come-true photo shoot. Maybe I’d like to do that for my birthday. I need to call Jeremy about that.
We Don’t Know the Rest of the Story
You have to remember that all you get from social media is a few curated sentences from somebody’s life every day.
We have NO idea what the rest of the life looks like.
We have NO business putting our own lives up against the “social media” lives of others.
They’re not equivalent.
…you can be anyone you want to be on social media, really.
Do you want people to think you’re happy when you’re really miserable? Done.
Should you let readers presume you exercise 3 hours a day if you don’t? If you like.
You can even make people think you’re a total social animal when all you really do is stay home.
One graphic designer faked a 5-week trip to south east Asia on Facebook, and all her friends and family believed it!!!!
Beautifuls, you have to get real with social media.
Enjoy it for what it is, and curate your presence however you like.
But more importantly, remember that EVERYONE’S social media presence is curated.
Social media is just words and pictures on a screen. That’s it. One dimension.
Your real life is where you need be focusing the most attention.
Your real mental health.
Your real relationships with your friends and family.
Your real relationship with your body.
I love me some social media, but hear this:
REAL is where it’s at!