Social media is such an integral part of our lives. Whether we’re using it for personal reasons like connecting with friend, reading the news, sharing jokes or opinions, or using it to promote your work – or all of the above – social media has become such a huge part of our every day.
According to Pew Research Center, a nonpartisan fact tank that informs the public about the issues, attitudes and trends shaping the world:
When [we] began tracking social media adoption in 2005, just 5% of American adults used at least one of these platforms. By 2011 that share had risen to half of all Americans, and today 72% of the public uses some type of social media.
Source: https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/fact-sheet/social-media/
That’s a lot of people using social media.
And one of the biggest drawbacks to social media, is the comparison game that arises out of so much scrolling. Social media is the highlight reel. It’s the good things that happen in our lives. So often, it’s the perfectly posed photos – and often times even staged photos – showing our hair perfectly in place, children behaving, clean homes, new cars, and all the highlights of our lives.
But how often do we forget that? How often do we find ourselves comparing our every day messy, real lives to what we see on social media? For me, it’s more often than I care to admit.
GETTING REAL ON SOCIAL MEDIA
Last week, I decided it was time for some real talk. I am guilty of putting out the highlights too, so I decided it was time to talk about what else was going on behind the picture. Here’s what I posted:
This is your friendly reminder that social media is just the highlight reels.
This picture is me, showing that I’m at the gym. Or rather, in the gym bathroom, but you know what I mean.
But what you don’t see or know from this picture is that I’m currently working to overcome food addiction and a lifetime of obsession with food.
You don’t see that there are piles of laundry left unfolded around my bedroom.
You don’t see that sometimes I yell at my daughter, who is only 10, and I feel like the biggest monster on the planet.
You don’t see that I sometimes feel like I cheat my husband out of the love and attention he deserves from his wife because I get so wrapped up in myself.
You don’t see that I’m in debt and working my way out of it.
You don’t sell all of my goals or any of my perceived failures.
You don’t see…all the stuff that’s not in this picture.
This is your reminder that this picture is the highlight reel, much like most of social media. Let’s keep having fun here, but let’s also remember there’s so much more happening in each other’s lives than one picture could possibly say.
And remember, no matter what, I’m rooting for you.
I hit post and immediately the post was getting a ton of positive feedback from friends and followers. I decided to take things a step farther, so I edited the post adding:
Edited to add: Here’s some more vulnerability for you too. I took this picture three different times, trying to suck in my gut and stand in such a way that you can’t see my stomach poking over my leggings. I’ve gained 12 lbs and don’t love the way I look right now. I know I am more than what the scale says or how I look in the mirror. I KNOW THAT. But I’m also human, so, I took three different pictures and posted the best of the three. Real talk over.
GOING FORWARD
My hope for myself, and for all of you, is that we constantly remember that there is always more to a photo on social media than what we are actually seeing. And I hope we’ll all be just a little more willing to share the messiness of our lives too.
Until next time,
Jeri Austin
A Growth Mindset 
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