Hello lovelies! I hope you’re having a wonderful day so far. Today I wanted to bring up another topic of discussion. And this is something that keeps popping up in my feed lately.

You all know that social media has become such a huge part of our daily lives. We have many accounts on different platforms, we upload photos and videos all the time. It’s fair to say that we also spend a lot of time scrolling on our Facebook or Instagram feed or checking Snapchat stories.

And besides our friends and colleagues, we also follow people who have more money and fame than us. Bloggers, IT girls, celebrities, beauty gurus, high-end brands. And they are all promoting this glamorous, unreachable lifestyle. I don’t know about you, but I often find myself envying those people and craving for new stuff… bags, shoes, cars, you name it.

Oh well, I know the first step to fixing something is actually accepting that you have an issue. So that’s when I decided to write this post to discuss how we can actually enjoy social media, without feeling frustrated or envious of other people. I think it’s possible to still feel good about yourself, and there’s no need to quit this guilty pleasure.

Some people just have it all, and that’s OK

You know that photo of a beautiful girl, with a Chanel bag on her arm? Maybe it was sponsored, so she got it for free. Maybe she is already rich, so she can afford it without a problem. Or maybe she worked like a crazy person to be able to buy it.

If you just admire the bag, double-tap and move on, you’re cool. But if you find yourself hateful and remorseful towards that girl, that’s an alarm signal.

Yes, it’s a pretty bag. But if you had it, would that make you happier? I don’t think so, maybe only on the short term. You can find plenty of other cheaper options that you can afford, even with a tight budget.

You cannot fake social status. And you shouldn’t do it in the first place. Impressing other people? That’s not important. Of course, you want to be seen as the amazing person that you are, and that’s OK. It’s natural to bring out the best version of yourself every time you meet other people. But you shouldn’t let material things define you. You shouldn’t feel like an outsider just because you’re not wearing designer shoes at a party.

Remember, you can be well-dressed in a simple black dress from Forever 21. Many people buy expensive clothes, and yet have no idea how to wear them. Those people will always look tense, uncomfortable and rigid. I bet you don’t want that, right?

Also, maybe some of the girls you follow had plenty of surgeries to look like this. And yeah, they don’t have a 9-to-5 job and don’t need to worry about the rent every month. But there is nothing wrong with this, as long as you understand that your circumstances are completely different. Of course you could have everything she has, and travel the world and go shopping all day long, if you wanted to. And no, that’s not motivational bullshit.

Think about it: if you really want that, you can do it now. But that means you’ll have to give up on something: morals, job prospects, maybe family or love. You either need to work your ass off to do it (and understand that it’s gonna be a long journey, because money don’t just fall out of the sky). Or else, you can pick the easy way and find someone to pay for all your expenses. Because let’s face it, some of these girls are financially dependent on another person.

But ask yourself first: is it worth it? Or would you rather take the long way, to work and fight for your dreams? Usually, good things take time.

It’s not the platform, it’s how you use it

I won’t tell you to close your social media accounts. The so-called “digital detox” can work just for a brief period of time, you can’t be gone forever. So I suggest a better alternative: give it a thought and reset your values and priorities.

If you haven’t already, learn what are your best features, what clothes fit you the best, what make-up suits you. Make sure your wardrobe and make-up bag have the ability to make you feel confident and powerful. It doesn’t matter how much you paid for that lipstick. All that matters is how it looks on you, and how it makes you feel.

Yes, some products might be worth the extra-cash, I agree, but try to keep a balance. Don’t spend all your money on expensive items, just invest in basics and high-quality fabrics.

Also, take everything with a grain of salt. Social media it’s a fun and entertaining space, let’s keep it like this.

The top Instagram accounts with millions of followers have perfectly curated feeds. They will always post the best part of their lives online. But remember, they are normal people too. They just decide to display only the happy bits to the public audience.

And actually most people keep their sad moments to themselves. With so much judgment and negativity in the online world, opening up about your problems can backfire and make you even more vulnerable.

So next time you feel envious or unhappy with yourself, remember it’s all a game of likes and follows. It’s fun, because otherwise we wouldn’t play it, but it’s not something that defines you as a person.

Yeah, it’s easy to get discouraged and to envy the people who seem to have it all figured out. And how does this help? You’re right, it doesn’t.

Social media is what you make of it. It can be depressive and frustrating to watch other people experience the time of their lives, or it can be motivating and inspiring. It’s a “half-full/ half-empty” kind of thing.

Forget about the others, focus on yourself

“Be yourself”. This has been said so many times, that it’s already a cliche. But I guess there is a twist to this phrase that we can consider: “Be your best self”.  If you want to be happy and satisfied with your own life, take things seriously. Be the best you can be, work on your improvement as a person, as a woman, as a professional.

Yes, it’s a superficial world. The “perfect woman” has long nails, great abs, big lips, big boobs… etc. At least that’s what you might think after taking a look at some popular Instagram accounts.

And don’t get me wrong, I am no hypocrite. I also want to look as good as possible, to feel proud and confident in my own body. And here’s where we need to draw the line.

I completely support the love yourself movement. I think you should love yourself the way you are, you should embrace your flaws and walk tall, regardless of the color of your skin, the length of your hair or your weight.

But I also think there’s always room for improvement. And if there are things you want to change about yourself, and actually have the means to do it, then GO FOR IT!

One thing does not exclude the other. You can accept yourself the way you are, and still pursue the goal of looking better and improving your appearance.

You should continue to read blogs, get inspired from Pinterest, double-tap all the pretty make-up looks from Instagram. You should take advantage of these platforms. It’s amazing that so many people are sharing their beauty secrets, style tips, make-up tutorials, and all for free!

It’s a fabulous resource, and you don’t want to miss it. Many of these girls are really passionate about it, and they do their best to keep you happy and updated with the latest trends.

Just remember that you are beautiful, strong and independent. You don’t need to prove that to anybody, especially not because of social pressure or to gain a certain number of followers.

Work hard, be authentic and good things will happen, I promise! 🙂

So, what do you think about this topic? How does social media affect your self-esteem or level of happiness? 

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