Opting Out of the Comparison Game
BY ERICA MULLER
It is so incredibly easy to get caught up in the comparison game when it comes to social media. The trends, the vibes, the aesthetics, the outward appearance.
It seems like every week there’s a new trend sweeping across social media. Maybe a trending sound on Tik Tok, a dark aesthetic on IG, moody captions, bucket hats, silk three-piece sets, a vegan diet… honestly, you name it, and it will trend at some point. It’s hard to keep up. And while it’s much easier to Keep Up With the Kardashians, it’s nearly impossible to keep up with the world’s ever-changing trends.
It’s a lot. And if you’re thinking, “I don’t let it get to me,” I’d argue you might be lying to yourself. Everyone and I mean everyone, has their moments. “Should I post this? Is the caption good enough? How about this filter? I wish I had that designer bag. What if no one likes this photo? I’ll just delete it if no one likes it within the first two minutes.” The inner monologue around social media can be debilitating.
This topic seems like it has become a broken record lately, so I will keep this short and sweet.
Why does social media have to be so serious? Here’s my latest approach: have FUN.
If you’re growing your following, your people will find you because you are you, not because you hopped on a trend. I have never in my life followed someone because they were trendy. I only follow people and accounts I relate to in some way, shape, or form. And the second I sense someone is more concerned with gaining followers or they start jumping on trend after trend, I unfollow and never look back. And I think most people are the same way.
If your profile is private and you keep it, friends, only, the friends you want to be there are already there. You control who sees your content, and my guess is that if you want them to be there, you’re not worried about impressing anyone as it should be.
Share whatever the heck you want to. Let social media be fun again. Use it for inspo, create mood boards, share your art, post funny pics and memes and quotes and fashion, and do it all without any expectation of gaining something from it. The less you seek external validation, the quicker you opt-out of the comparison game. And that is a great feeling.
[…] If you enjoyed this post, read Opting Out of the Comparison Game […]