Social media is part of our daily lives. It changes how we connect and see ourselves. But it can also mess with our self-esteem.
I’ll share two stories to make use understand better;
Take Esther as an example. She’s a model and has a fun personality. But when she scrolls through Instagram, she often feels less of herself. She told me, “I see all these celebrities wearing fancy clothes and their flashy lifestyle. I feel like I’m lagging behind.” I had to remind her that those posts are often fake. They don’t show the real struggles behind those perfect pictures. It's tough not to compare yourself when you keep seeing what you “should” have.
She somehow stopped comparing herself to what she sees online and decided to work to make herself better
Then there’s Moses. He had a hard time with self-confidence when he was younger. But on Twitter, he found a bunch of supportive people. He started sharing his poetry, and the kind comments helped him grow as a writer and person. “For the first time, I feel like my voice matters,” he said to me one time his post went viral and was being shared on some platforms.
These stories shows the two sides of social media. It can help us be creative and connect with others, but it can also make us feel insecure.
The real problem is comparison. Social media shows the best parts of life. People post their highs but hide their lows. Esther might feel jealous of someone’s vacation pics, but she doesn't see the stress or bills behind them. Moses’s story reminds us that social media can also help us grow if we use it wisely.
Here’s what I’ve picked up from Esther and Moses about using social media without hurting your self-esteem:
- Change Your Feed: You also need to unfollow anyone or anything that negatively impacts your mental health and wellbeing. Make sure to follow those that enlighten or educate you.
- Take Breaks: Occasionally, the best thing to do is to switch off and engage with real life situations.
- Focus on Yourself: Social media isn’t a race. They all proceed in step with their own.
- Be Real: Do not be shy and share content that you enjoy and that makes you happy, not what the rest of the world would like to see.
Social media has its role however we are able to regulate it and its effects on us. Esther makes sure to take a break when she get too stressed while Moses continued to expand through being himself on the online platforms. Their stories shows us the effect social media has on us.
Thank you for reading❤️🙏🏼
