Black in classic

It’s only as real as you make it to be. Everyone gets caught up in the web of social media. There isn’t an age limit to this obsessive addiction. We are living in a world where our reality is built around small perfectly tailored pieces of information that people cherry-pick to share with others.  Don’t get caught up in the hype. As I write these words, I ingest them myself. Social media will skew your interpretation of reality. Even though, you will say you know better, it happens without us knowing. It’s those small moments of self-doubt when taking a picture and pausing to ensure that you want to upload it. It’s those small moments when you spent just one second too long over analyzing your “Instagram theme”. I think we are all guilty of it to one degree or another. I don’t think there is any shame in it because we are the first generation with this much accessibility to absolutely everything. But, the important thing to remember is that it is only as real as you make it. I saw an IG caption that said something along the lines of being tired of IG and how mentally draining it can be. I immediately thought to myself, well close the app. It is NEVER that serious. Yes, IG is a platform that can be used to make money, just like all other platforms, but it should not be mentally draining. Many people on social media sites get caught up in competing and ‘out posting’ other people. It just isn’t that serious. When you realize that life is happening outside of the app, then you can appreciate it for what it is worth. Besides, the real money is made off social networks. Don’t worry about what someone else may be doing. I realized that many of these influencers are just following trends. On YouTube,  all beauty gurus on have the same “aesthetic”. If you’ve watched these videos then you know just what I mean. It has become unoriginal very fast. When you succumb to the pressures of keeping up, you will lose yourself. But, it is only as real as you make it to be. The pressure to be “popular” and remain popular is exhausting. Don’t chase that. Chase authenticity. Chase your dream. That’s when things will start to be less mentally draining. Being like everyone else is hard work. Your life is not supposed to look like there life. Don’t doubt yourself because someone else APPEARS to be doing it better. That could all just be smoke and mirrors. Small fifteen seconds can’t tell you what’s really going on when their phone is down. Truth is, we are all pretending to be someone on Instagram and that’s okay, just don’t lose yourself in the process.