The Highlight Reel of Social Media & How to Not Get Caught Up
Social media can be one of the most toxic things to our mental health, especially when we see people who are living our goals and dreams. I often find myself looking at people who are on similar paths as me who appear to be more successful than I am, later beating myself up about it.
It’s hard to not compare ourselves to people of a similar age or on a similar career path. We’re virtually surrounded by engagement pictures, weddings announcements, date night photos, baby announcements, and people getting new houses with their partners. But we must not forget that social media is a highlight reel. People mostly share the best parts of their lives, omitting their breakups, educational failures, or job rejections. Just like social media is a highlight reel of people’s lives, dating apps are also highlight reels. And especially in the context of dating, it’s easy to get caught up in the highlight reel. But I also often find myself wondering if the facts about the people I’m scrolling by are true.
Online dating can sometimes feel like a black hole, but it helps to remember that not everything is how it seems. With so many apps, online dating can be a whirlwind. There is a mix of people on dating apps: some people are looking for something serious and some people are not. The difference in what people want on dating apps can make it hard to find someone with the same intentions as you.
Some things that can help minimize feeling FOMO when scrolling on social media and dating are:
Taking a break from social media for the day.
Doing things that make you feel good, like taking a bath or applying a face mask.
Writing down things that are going great in your life.
Communicating with people when they don’t align with your values or goals and allowing yourself to move on.
Following meaningful influencers that align with your views.
Remember we all have events in our lives we don't divulge others or post on social media. Take the time to remember that at one pint in your life you wanted to be exactly where you are now. Social media is just a small piece of our lives, we have to step outside of ourselves to appreciate where we are and how much we have grown.
