Comparing Ourselves With Strangers On Social Media is Ruining Our Lives I Shorts
Why Internet Comparision Is Toxic & How to Stop The Habit of Comparison.
Don’t get me wrong, I love what social media is offering us in our new digital world. In fact, I’ve connected with incredible people on the internet and some of them actually became good friends of mine. I deeply believe that the internet has a superpower in making everything available and figure-out-able where you can literally learn any set of skills at the click of your fingerprint.
With that being said, one major problem with social media that we are all struggling with, apart from the waste of time, is comparing ourselves with strangers we barely know. This toxic habit of comparison in most cases leaves us with feelings of anxiety, depression, and deflated self-esteem. Comparison literally kills our inner peace, productivity, and optimism, and it blinds us from the idea of success and being happy.
- How many times have you compared yourself with any stranger and then felt good or happy about it?
- ZERO times, Right?
Well, the problem is that social media amplifies the idea of perfection and hides the imperfections making it hard to see where we fit or how we can grow. It becomes hard to visualize the life you want for yourself because of the constant upward and downward comparisons. Eventually, you end up feeling bad after the comparison.
The hidden reality is that these “perfect and flawless” characters you see on social media are constantly showcasing the best aspects of their lives and some people like to color things up and make them in their most beautiful case in pursuit of grabbing your attention. Most of these “perfect” characters don’t show their struggles, failures, missings, and bad times. That leads us to believe they live the perfect life and we are not, which is just NOT true.
- Well, how can we stop this habit of comparison?
Unfortunately, there is no such hidden secret to how we can entirely stop comparing ourselves with others because comparison is a habit like any other habit that takes time and determination to be eliminated.
BUT, these are some practical, science-based steps you can take today to control this toxic habit:
As with breaking any habit, awareness is the first step. ‘Being aware that you’re comparing yourself to others is the key to combatting it. Awareness makes it easier to figure out the triggers that cause this behavior, which means you can then put strategies in place to avoid it.
Love yourself the way you are and always keep in mind that your value is not determined by likes, comments, or followers.
Switch the comparisons from bad to good by using the comparisons as an inspirational recourse for self-improvement and self-enhancement.
Whenever you fall into the trap of comparison, always remind yourself of the reason and the WHY you are being active on social media, the good message you are spreading the people you’re helping, and the lives you’re changing.
Unfollow people who make you feel bad when you see them on your feed and fill your feed instead with people who induce positive feelings.
Practice gratitude: numerous studies have shown that expressing gratitude is linked with increased optimism, life satisfaction, and overall wellbeing.
Finally, self-compassion is key if you’re attempting to undo the negative effects of constantly comparing yourself with others.
Reach me
🕊️Twitter: Mohamed Elsayed
📸 Instagram: mohamed-elsayed-atta
🧑💼LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mohamed-elsayed-b6721b1b2/
👨💻Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/medo.atta.12
📧Email: muhamed.elsayed.official@gmail.com
