People often say that it is important to take breaks from social media to protect your mental health. However, very rarely do people ever detail which mental health issues they are addressing during their time away. I hope that I can peel back to a potential reason that could possibly spur a social media break. Let’s explore why I had to step away from Instagram.
What had happened wasโฆ
Social media, and in particular Instagram, are breeding grounds for the comparison game. Within, there’s a fine line between admiration and frustration. I found myself scrolling, admiring all the beautiful photos created by fantastic online creators. At first, I began to ask myself questions such as, “How did they get their pictures to be so beautiful?” That led to, “If I make my pictures look better, will I get as popular?” Then, that spiraled down to, “We started at the same time; why am I not as popular?” Unfortunately, what began as genuine curiosity and admiration then deteriorated down to straight jealousy. And I was the cause.
Jealousy is a self-imposed prison, in my estimation. It’s got nothing to do with what anything else has done. It’s all inside your own mind. When I begin to feel certain emotions such as jealousy, I urge myself to do some self-reflection away from the trigger.
Jealousy is a self-imposed prison.
After that, I decided to take responsibility for my own feelings. It was me who created the comparison game. It was me sucking away my own creativity to converge with someone else’s style. Finally, it was me who lost sight of the fact that everyone’s journey is individualistic.
Takeaways
As a result, I deleted Instagram. I needed to check myself and get my own mind right. It didn’t take much time away for me to get it together. However, that brief little break helped tremendously. In the end, remember that jealousy is a human trait innate to our being. It is an emotion that necessitates us to do some self-reflection. It’s not the jealousy that’s the focus should be; it’s the reaction thereafter. So, if you are feeling a little jealous and playing the comparison game, don’t forget to step away from social media for a break. Look inside and understand your own why and rejoin back when you have positive vibes only.
Sincerely,
Felicia
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