The allure of success stories, luxurious lifestyles, and remarkable achievements, whether from older or younger individuals, both inspires and frustrates me.
Three years ago, I created a LinkedIn account, and I have to admit, it’s not exactly my favorite corner of the internet. Logging onto the app only to be bombarded with updates about someone else’s recent promotion, impressive accomplishment, or excessively profound professional advice is quite overwhelming. It’s hard not to feel even the slightest pressure to “step up” or “put myself out there” more than I already am. Why don’t I have any exciting career updates to share? I usually only check my account once every couple of months to keep up with what’s happening with my friends and family.
I often wonder why I feel like I’m lagging behind when I actually have a lot of positive things happening in my life. I believe that the age of social media contributes to this unconscious competition I find myself in. The highlight reels, extravagant lifestyles, and extraordinary achievements of people of all ages serve as catalysts for an internalized race to success that motivates and frustrates me simultaneously. And I have a feeling I’m not the only one.
Scrolling through social media reveals a plethora of posts showcasing someone’s latest vacation, another person’s professional milestone, or someone else’s venture into the fashion industry. The list goes on. And with the Stories feature, it feels like these posts are happening in real-time, all the time. It’s easy to believe that everyone is moving ahead faster and living happier lives than you. This perception creates a false motivation to chase after highlights and stretch ourselves thin because we think we’re not running fast enough or working hard enough.
Learning to detach ourselves from the constant feed of social media is a skill that often goes unnoticed. Most notable achievements require years of practice and failure, yet it’s not natural to see this when a carefully curated post suggests instant success, authenticity, and effortlessness.
Now, I’m not here to bash social media. In fact, I think it’s an incredible tool. It helps us stay connected, document memories, and opens doors to unimaginable opportunities. I have family and friends who have leveraged these platforms to build successful careers, and I applaud them for it. Heck, I’m even writing my first post-graduation article for The Inquirer because of LinkedIn. However, mindlessly using these platforms without making an effort to stay grounded can trigger feelings of pressure and inadequacy.
The truth is, social media is neutral. It’s a tool. How we navigate through it is up to us (with some influence from ever-evolving algorithms). That’s where mindfulness comes into play. We must become conscious consumers of digital content, just as we’ve embraced conscious consumerism of physical objects.
As for me, I’m still figuring out how to detach myself from a space where everyone around me seems to be ten steps or even twenty steps ahead. However, I’m not claiming that I’ll abandon social media altogether someday. Instead, I write this as a reminder to take a step back. There will always be someone ahead of me, just as there will always be someone behind me. Therefore, it becomes pointless to chase after things out of pressure when my own pace is determined by who I am, the circumstances surrounding me, and sometimes, pure luck. Engaging in the social media rat race is impractical and unsatisfying. Why sprint when I can stroll?
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