If you’ve spent any time on social media, you’ve undoubtedly come across posts where people were faking happiness. Sometimes that false happiness is apparent, and we wonder what they were thinking. Other times we “buy’ what people post and wonder why our lives can’t be that happy. Comparing yourself to others on social media is a trap. Actually, in general, comparing yourself to others is usually a bad idea.
According to the EndNow Foundation, which is dedicated to advocating digital safety, people fake being happy on social media for several reasons. Some do it because they struggle with self-acceptance, so they look for approval and validation from others. Some people fake happiness because they think it helps them come across as confident and successful; they don’t want others to know what’s actually going on in their lives.
Everything is awesome on social media. That’s real, right?
Finally, there’s the ‘everything is fabulous” social media culture where looking good, feeling good, and being happy all the time is seen as the way to fit in. And, we can all remember our school days when fitting in was what we wanted most in the world.
The pressure to be like others so we can “fit in” wasn’t good in high school, and it’s not good on social media. Plus, a good amount of the fake happiness on social media is being stoked by celebrities who are in the business of making money with their social accounts; the truth is they fake happiness to perpetuate their fame and sell stuff.
When it comes to faking happiness on social media, my advice is this: DON’T DO IT. Don’t post content that isn’t authentic; don’t feel obligated to share thoughts about your emotional state, either.
Don’t paint a picture on social channels that make you out to be anything but who you truly are. The upside of accepting yourself is that your life just works better, so accept yourself and share the real you. Yet, never feel obligated to share at all because not everything belongs on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter!