How Social Media Impacts Self-Esteem

This quote addresses one of the many things we do that can cause our self-esteem to decline. With the rise of social media outlets including, but not limited to, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, etc. we as humans tend to compare ourselves to what we see on those sites on a daily basis. We might think, "they really have their life together" or "look how pretty, attractive, or handsome they are." We might wonder "why am I still single and all of my friends on Facebook are getting married or having children?"

We must remember that what our friends post on social media is just a snapshot of their life, not the entire story. For the most part we have no idea what these people are struggling with on a daily basis as most people want to "keep it positive" in regards to what they share through social media. I did say most people as we do come across a few who tend to "keep it negative" with what they choose to share.

It is important to remember this as we allow ourselves to be inundated with photos and posts on social media of a seemingly perfect life. When we compare our situation to those around us, it makes it that much more difficult to fully appreciate what is going right in our own lives.

Take some time to really explore what you are happy with in regards to your appearance, relationships, your job, your personality, and so on. If you find it difficult to list anything you are happy with then reach out to someone for help - either a trusted friend or a professional. When you find yourself comparing your life to those on social media - pause for a moment, remind yourself of the highlight reel, and scroll on.