Reject Social Media Envy

A dear friend recently gave me the most hilarious birthday card. It reminded me of how often we compare ourselves with others on social media.

This friend has seen me at my lowest. He was one of my few confidantes when my marriage was dissolving. He has heard more than one cautionary tale about parenting a headstrong teenager. He is no stranger to hearing my work challenges. In short, my friend KNOWS me. And he knows that my social media presence doesn't even come close to showing how my life really is. Everything is not always sunshine and roses for this particular Rose.

Just like TV and radio, social media allows us to distribute the content we choose. We are our own programming directors, and we get to decide what our channels contain. And don’t contain.

Have you ever been envious of someone on social media? Does that person seem to have it all together -- the perfect look, career, and family? Have you ever judged yourself, even just a little, for not having what they have?

Don’t compare your complex life with the bite-sized, stylized, well-crafted portion of “reality” you see on social media. Just stay present and centered in your own experience, warts and all. That’s far more important tha