Maybe We Need The Bad So We Can Appreciate The Good

We live among a generation of believers, dreamers, challengers, and drivers. We are always thinking of the next steps; how, why, where, and what? On average, we spend two hours of our day scrolling, liking, and responding on social media. What’s the one thing every picture has in common? Happiness.

Social media can be as healthy as it can be deadly. In a world on chaos, people are just checking in to get the latest update and when they do they are filled with unrealistic images. In a world of one-uppers, it’s common people spend much of their lives comparing themselves to their peers and even celebrities that fill their Instagram feeds. We always think ”What if that was me?” or ”I wish I was that rich, successful, pretty…”, etc.: you all get the point. The problem with this picture, like most stories we see and hear about, is that looks can too often be deceiving.

The skinny body you see is photoshopped. The abs are added on with a photo editing app. The perfect skin; created with a filter. The Corvette they own was really only a one-day rental. The designer clothes they wear is only covering massive amounts of credit card debt. Yet somehow you aren’t the only one being fooled. Yet these are the people we continue to compare our lives against.

If only people posted a photo of all the bad times as frequently as the good, but no can do in a world of one-uppers. We always have someone to prove wrong; someone we desire for to take a second look. I can’t wrap my brain around why we do this, even as I do it myself….

Comparing yourself with a world of perfection will only leave you depressed, beaten down, and hopeless. Our lives cannot be a state of constant happiness. Happiness is magical and something we all hope to have every day however, we only know what happiness feels like because we’ve experienced the feeling of being sad. If life was a constant state of happiness, you wouldn’t know any different. We need the bad to show us what good feels like.

I encourage you to follow profiles that add value to your life. Follow people that inspire you for the RIGHT reasons, not just because they own this or that or because they have one million followers. In a world so negative all we can do is surround ourselves with positivity. Don’t let the world break you over and over again. Happiness begins with a healthy mental state of mind, followed by physical wellness, and a positive outlook for life. Instead of creating a glass house of perfection that can be shattered at any moment, create a life of fulfillment and realistic expectations and goals.

Happiness begins within and won’t be something you stumble upon in your two hours on social media. The people with ”perfect” lives we compare ourselves too are going through everyday struggles and problems. You can strive to have this ”perfect” life but I wonder if you ever get there will you know how perfect it really is? Times of despair and trouble only makes happiness more satisfying and brings a sense of joy that not even a thousand words could explain.