Are we Competing for the Best Life?

I remember a time before social media. I did not know what anyone else was doing. We had our own immediate social groups. We heard news first hand. People shared their vacation pictures when we got together next. It was defiantly a different time. It was before the instant life. Is there more than just information being processed as we scroll through social media?

I find at times, although I feel happy for others in their new jobs, new homes, time at the beach etc, I have that sense of anxiety that maybe I should be there too. It makes me feel like my choices or place I live is not the best fit maybe.

Somehow this new sense of quick communication becomes all consuming. Not knowing where others were or what they did after they moved away from was okay before. Now if you live in New York you feel like everyone is moving south and you are missing out on the warm weather. Maybe if you live down south you are watching someone move up north promoting the great big raise they just took for the transfer.

Either way, we all know time is of the essence and how we spend it is what is important. We always knew that, but somehow we felt happy in our settings not knowing what we are missing.

Taking a break from social media can be a cleansing experience. I think at times it is good to unplug. Take the time to focus on only where I am right now. My family and my needs. I will look at my accomplishments and know I am where I am meant to be.

I think it is natural for people to move away and have to promote that where they are is better. We will never know for real though.

The problem with social media that we forget with our insta-scrolling is that we are seeing one picture. We can never see the whole picture.

We are constantly pushed with the mantra “Live your best life!”

This is often followed by pictures of people on the white sand beaches somewhere. Everyone dressed like a magazine photo shoot, while eating lobster.

Doesn’t this push an immediate fear of missing out? For me at least it does. It is almost non intentional. It is like a subliminal message I didn’t really receive at first directly. It penetrates slowly as my mind thinks of all of my paths so far. I think of maybe if I had turned left when I turned right, I would be on that same path now. The thought of life being short is true. It can defiantly cause panic of what is happening so far in that time.

I am trying to think back to my life before social media existed and how the “ignorance is bliss” strategy creating much more happiness.

I am now learning to take a step back and realize my own reality.

Sometimes for me, living my best life means that I am lucky to be home with my family. That in this moment everything seems to just going right. I am not being slammed with some stressful form of reality that I will surely have to deal with at some point.

A moment of peace, and loving who I am and what I have. Looking at my beautiful family. I reflect on how far I have come and how much I still have to give.

This is living my best life.

All the pieces just fitting together in the moment. I am breathing it all in.