"That girl whose life you want? You don't want it."
I recently was doing my many daily scrolls through Instagram and mixed in-between the aesthetically pleasing photos of a perfectly dressed 20-something year old female I saw a photo from an account I follow- SoulScripts:
The difference between this post by Jordan Lee and many of the pictures I see in my newsfeed is not as simple as "this post has words and everyone else's are pictures" but rather that this post is truthful and real.
The short paragraph that Jordan provided to anyone who follows her, or happens to stumble upon her page, is such an important concept. It is also one that is so easily forgotten in a world guided by social media. Nothing is as straight up as it appears to be. Everyone has a story they don't share on the surface, everyone goes through their own struggles. Here's the reality of that girl in the perfect outfit, posing flawlessly in the most stunning backdrop: most likely that outfit she is wearing is one of few "trendy" outfits she has that cost her less than $50 from Romwe. That pose probably took her 10 + tries because she kept falling trying to balance herself to create a seemingly effortless look. That backdrop is probably a location she researched online and stopped at and not a typical scene from her everyday life.
I know it may sound like I'm bashing on girls from Instagram but hey, I am guilty of it too...
LETS TALK ABOUT THE THINGS YOU MIGHT SEE IN THESE PICTURES:
1. A cute outfit
2. Smooth, fresh blonde hair
3. A girl that's carefree and happy
4. An effortless pose
5. A colorful sunset
6. A perfect moment
NOW, LETS TALK ABOUT THE THINGS YOU DON'T SEE IN THESE PICTURES:
1. Shorts that were starting to get a little tight and a top that actually doesn't comfortably lay like that (my bra straps were pulled down for the photos)
2. My hair has roots to NO END and my hair was a lot more straggly and winded than it appears- that's what the smooth/ whitening edit tool is for
3. I was actually super stressed and confused at this time in my life when I took these photos
4. I fell multiple times trying to do the "tippy-toe, knee bend, hip pop" thing- a quick hack for all those short girl like me with no hips (heads up, sand isn't the easiest surface to stand on!)
5. I adjusted the colors to make the sky and ambiance look more vibrant and cool than it actually came out in photos
6. That perfect moment- instead of taking in the scenery and enjoying nature I was too focused on creating an "insta-worthy" photo.
Nobody's life is perfect and most likely, the girl that appears to have the most spotless lifestyle, is covering up the most imperfections. It's easy to get lost in a picture, whether it be you daydreaming about having the life you paint up from another girls aesthetically pleasing photo OR focusing too hard on keeping up your own image. It's easy to camouflage your imperfections, it might look something like you smoothening your skin so people can think you have a flawless completion. It might also be by smacking on a smile so that no one finds out you sit in your room wondering what the hell you're doing with your life and begins to ask about the countless stressors in your life.
Instead of wishing you had a life different than your own, live your best life, find gratitude in every emotion and grow through even the toughest of times.
It's not about the destination you set in your head because the destination will always change. The things you want most today might change in a month, even a week.
So ladies, stop dwelling and start counting. I bet there are more blessings in your life than you realize. Some many be harder to find, but that just means they're more special and isn't that worth taking the time to discover!
XO,
J