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Oct 8, 20213 min read

Electronically VS Authentically

It's about time we talk about expectations versus reality in this digital age!



Alright. Let's be honest. How many times have you looked through someone's Instagram and thought, "Wow, they really have it all together." So. Many. Times. Some people's Instagrams have just the right filter, a witty caption, and just the right angle; or maybe every time they post, it's about yet another incredible accomplishment that they've done. Either way, other people's lives look so glorious on social media.


It's so easy to get caught up in this world we've built on a small glowing box. I do it all the time. So, I want to take the next couple of minutes to encourage you in regards to social media and what life really looks like.



We Share a Lot… What Don't We Share?


How much of social media is real? Well, I suppose it's real, but is it realistic? We rarely share the nitty-gritty of our lives. I've never seen anyone post about what they're struggling with, whether that's a failed test, friendship problems, familial disagreements... we just don't post about those things.


Makes sense, right?


It does to me. It's much easier to pretend that everything is perfect and going well than to face the harsher realities that life presents sometimes. I mean, life would be easier if you could look at it through a filter. But that's just not the reality that we live in. My mom actually said something the other day, which actually inspired this post, that I want to share with you.


"Just because you're doing something that isn't social-media worthy, doesn't mean that it's not important. In fact, it's more important because you're not doing it to post about it." - Shannon Wanebo

She said this because I was dealing with FOMO. In college, unlike in high school, everyone is doing their own thing, so I felt like I was missing out on something because other people had things to do. Do you want to know what was making me feel like that? (here comes the tie-together moment) Social media. There's always someone posting about some event that they went to or thing that they did that I wasn't doing, and it truly stressed me out. But this quote. W-O-W. Totally hit me hard.


We shouldn't live this life electronically, we should be authentically present in every single moment.


Life can be hard, but that's what makes the good times so beautiful. We don't have to put a filter on our struggles because they're real and they're valid. Other times, life is just life—you're in a season that's neither amazingly good or completely difficult. But that's still a beautiful thing! To go through life is to learn and grow. And it's healthy to go through life without trying to fit your circumstances into a filtered photo.



How Do We Make a Change?


Now, this isn't to say that you should go posting all of your problems on social media to try to be more authentic (in fact, I would advise against that). However, you should remember that social media is a highlight reel—the odds of you seeing real struggles on someone's main social media accounts are slim.


It's not that we can change our society immediately, though that would be fantastic, but we can change our own mindset. We have to remind ourselves that everyone has battles that they're fighting, not everything is sunshine and rainbows all the time. But we also have to be willing to celebrate the highlights. It's okay to post a picture when you feel good about yourself in it (love yourself)! It's okay to post a cute picture for someone's birthday (celebrate your people)! It's okay to post a vacation picture (make the most of this world)! There are truly beautiful things in this life that are worth sharing.


Just because you don't share the most difficult parts of your life on your social media platforms doesn't mean you're not being authentic; you can authentically celebrate and highlight moments in your life. It's more that we need to remember that everything we see on social media isn't everything that's happening in someone's life, even your own.


We are more than what we post. We are complicated, beautiful creatures. We can't be defined by square pictures, 30 second videos, or media feeds. How wonderful it is to not be defined by social media!



 


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