Positive Reality Check

Every now and then I get tagged in posts on Facebook and Instagram. It’s usually for your typical reasons like “this is that video I was telling you about” or “this is so us” or “I saw this clip of a cockatoo yelling into a plastic cup and I know it’s 2am but I really really really think you need to see it”.

But lately these tags have become a little more frequent and a little less diverse. I have become ‘that girl you think of when you see anything to do with Netflix’. I know it doesn’t help that I love television and will use any and every social media platform to express that love but sometimes it just seems like all my newsfeed friends are living life and taking charge and seizing days, and I am too keen to come home and catch up on a few episodes.

I don’t blame all of us for not wanting to publicise our rough patches. I don’t believe that’s what social media is about. I’m just asking you all to embrace the mundane and see its value in our daily lives. I would love to see more of the world and experience new things, but I also kind of like my world. However, thanks to status updates and throwback Thursdays, I’m getting everyone else’s highlights, both past and present. And it’s sort of getting me down a little. Am I getting the most out of life? Am I living to my full potential?

To be honest, it took me a long time to realize that all our lives develop at different paces and in different ways. It’s hard to recognize that your “I’m still figuring out what I want to do” phase just happens to be a lot longer than someone else’s. And when you’re receiving regular updates about only the great things going on in the lives of all your friends, it’s easy to mistake that for a lack of good stuff in your world. Sometimes this can translate to a general feeling of laziness or you begin to think that maybe you’re doing something wrong. It’s okay, you’re not. We all have our moments of self-doubt, they’re just not always published on our newsfeeds.

So, if you’re feeling a bit down about where you’re at in your life, I encourage you to talk to a parent or close friend. Go to someone you admire and trust, and ask them to say one thing they like about you. My guess is they won’t stop at just one positive attribute. It’s sometimes hard for us to admit to ourselves that we have talent, drive, and redeeming qualities but just as you can see the greatness in others and the things they do, believe me when I say we can all see the wonderful and beautiful things about you as well.

Also, here is the link to the cockatoo yelling into a plastic cup.

It’s great. You’re welcome.

#instagram #holidays