Posting on social media? Be empathetic.
How often do we think twice before sharing something outstanding on our social media? Except that we keep our fingers crossed for countless likes and comments, do we really stop and analyse the impact our posts have on others? Give me a minute here and hear me out. Have you ever had a pathetic day, and ended with scrolling through your news feed to see the fantastic lives of all your friends, thinking why you had to be the one with the worst life possible? Have you ever just gotten out of a draining argument with your kid and opened your insta feed to see a cute little photo of your friend and her son playing in the mud, and wondered why only you don’t have the muscles to parent well 24/7? Do we realize the impact we leave on others when we pick and choose to share only the prettiest parts of our life with others, which, let’s be honest, isn’t all there is to it.
Why don’t we humanise the posts we share so we don’t end up painting a picture of life that is far from reality for the onlookers? Why don’t we say it’s okay to want to pull your hair out some days when your kids are driving you insane, or failure is just as much a part of life as is success and needs to be acknowledged too for all the lessons we learn from it. Why don’t we become more mindful of the bits and pieces of our lives we tend to share with others with the intention to let others know that it is OKAY not to look perfect all the time, not to be the best child, parent, student, colleague, person, all the time. It is okay not to have achievements left right and centre and it is HUMAN to face failure and rejection. It is HUMAN to cry on some days and get tired and exhausted.
So the next time you want to post the pictures to your fairytale wedding, or your child’s cute video, or your graduation, or your new business…. Let others know the journey was not all glitz and glamour, and that’s why you’re proud of it, for all the days you wanted to give up, and the nights you couldn’t sleep, and the times it got impossible… That’s your achievement, and that’s the journey of life.
– Hanna Seyal
