Social Media: Is The Grass Greener On The Other Side?

Social media has become a way of life.  It has become a daily habit and routine for many.  From the second you go to bed at night to the second you wake up in the morning.  Social media is everywhere you go.   Maybe you check the news first thing when you wake up.  Or perhaps you use it to see what old friends from high school are up to.  Or, maybe you just find yourself scrolling in the middle of the day due to boredom.  Whatever it is, everyone is connected to social media in some way or another in their life.  It has become the societal norm.

Social media certainly has its perks.  It can be fun and entertaining and it can allow us to stay in contact with new and old friends.  Social media enables you to keep others up to date on events in your life and theirs.  It may also keep you updated on the newest trends, news, and everything that is happening in the world.  Although many of these perks seem great, social media can also produce a negative effect.  It can produce a negative effect if you’re not careful and it can sneak up on you in ways you may not even notice.  Not at first anyway.  Hence, it’s important to identify why social media can affect you negatively and how to avoid falling victim to it.

What Are The Negative Effects Of Social Media?

One of the biggest negative effects that social media can have on us is the tendency to compare our lives to others.  This in itself is the scariest effect social media has because it causes people to immediately question their happiness.  When we look at other people’s photos or statuses on social media such as Facebook, for instance, we may start asking, “Why don’t I do some of these things?”, “Why don’t I have a family that looks as happy as them?” “Why don’t I go on vacation that often?”  All of these questions cause us to immediately devalue the things that we may have in our lives. Now, are these the questions that everyone is asking?  No, not necessarily by any means, but the risk is just much higher for it to occur.  Even if you don’t ask these questions out loud, your subconscious may have a way of bottling up unwanted feelings towards what you see.  We may have the tendency to think that other people’s lives are better than ours.  This can cause issues towards our self-esteem, our self-worth, and decrease being grateful for the things we do have in our lives.

It’s important to be aware of the side effects social media can cause so that you are better able to handle your feelings.  This way, if you recognize that something is triggering you in a certain way, you will be better equipped to deal appropriately with it.  Or, you can challenge the negative belief and look for things to be grateful for in your own world.  It’s always vital to remember that social media does not define who you are as a person or who you are in the world.  It is meant to be used however you wish as long as you don’t let it interfere with your overall and general well-being.

How to Overcome Negative Social Media Influence

So how might one overcome the negative thoughts created from social media?  Obviously, it’s something easier said than done but with reminders and a conscientious mindset, it can be accomplished.  Here are some things you can try.

1.) Create A List of Things You’re Grateful For – every morning, create a list on a piece of paper of at least 3-5 things you’re grateful for.  Reference this throughout your day as a reminder and as a way to take pride in how far you’ve come.

2.) Put Down Your Phone and Close That Laptop – this one is so simple.  All you have to do, is fine time in your day to put down your phone or your laptop.  If it’s out of sight, it will be out of mind.  If you find yourself becoming too immersed in social media or overwhelmed, remind yourself that it’s okay to take a break from time to time.  A little peace and quiet from the social media world can go a long way.

3.) Plan Your Next Adventure – if you’re tired of comparing yourself to others and seeing what other people are up to all the time, then make a change.  Plan your next big adventure.  Find something you’re interested in or go to a place you’ve been dying to see.  Even if it’s just a bike ride around the neighborhood.  Plan something that will get you outside and doing something.  Not only will it make you feel better about yourself but it will add some excitement to your life.  And who doesn’t want a little excitement?

4.) Find Happiness In Others Accomplishments – Instead of comparing yourself to others, try to find happiness in what your friends and other people on social media are doing.  Be happy for other people’s accomplishments and their posts.  When we put positive feelings out into the universe, those positive vibes usually come back to us in some way or form. When you are happy for others, it also makes you feel good and releases endorphins into the brain.  All of these things can help to keep you healthy and happy overall.

The next time you think that the grass is greener on the other side, take a step back and re-evaluate.  Find the positives in your world and in your every day life.  Remember that just because someone posts something that may look incredible, doesn’t always necessarily mean that everything is always perfect for those individual’s.  We all have our good and bad days.  Sometimes, some people share about it, and sometimes some do not.  We never fully know what is truly going on in someone’s life.  That’s why it’s important that we focus on our own and what we can do to better it. Case in point, the grass is not always necessarily greener on the other side.  If you want your grass to be greener, nurture it and take control.  It’s up to us to create our happiness.