Don’t Let Curated Imagery F*ck With Your Head
Let’s have a little chat about your morning scroll. You know the one, before your feet even hit the floor, you’re already knee-deep in someone else’s life: a matcha latte in a hand-thrown ceramic mug, glowy glass skin under golden hour light, a $4,000 outfit labeled “effortless,” and somehow, always, a massive croissant.
Social media has become less of a place to connect and more of a never-ending Pinterest board of unattainable perfection… and while it’s fun to look at (because duh, aesthetics), it can also seriously mess with your sense of reality if you’re not careful. So let’s talk about it.
Life Isn’t Pinterest… and That’s Okay
Real talk: nobody’s life looks like their feed. Not even influencers. Behind every flat lay, every outfit photo, every post-vacation glow is work (and editing.) That dreamy shot of someone’s coffee, laptop, and candles next to an open book? They moved their entire dining table for the light and took 27 photos from 12 angles before choosing the one that “felt natural.”
Don’t even get me started on influencer sets. Yes, you read that right, SETS. Entire fake kitchens, fake planes, and rented Airbnbs just to shoot content. That perfectly organized closet might not even be theirs. That $6,000 Chanel bag in the photo? Could be a rental. Or borrowed. Or fake. It doesn’t even matter because even when the stuff is real, that doesn’t mean the life is.
So if you’re sitting at home in your mismatched PJs with three tabs open, an iced coffee you forgot about, and your dog shedding all over the couch, you’re doing just fine.
It's Not Just About Looks
This isn’t just about #aesthetic coffee and neon-lit rooftop dinners, it’s about the whole lifestyle illusion. People see luxury vacations, sleek morning routines, six-figure salaries by 25, and suddenly feel like they’re falling behind… and let’s be honest, most of us don’t need another reason to spiral at 2 a.m.
But here’s the thing: you don’t know what’s happening outside the frame. You don’t know whose parents are footing the bill. You don’t know whose credit card is maxed out. You don’t know who’s been Photoshopping their reality for years.
Some people are really good at selling the fantasy. It’s literally their job. But you have to remember, just because something is curated beautifully doesn’t mean it reflects real life. You’re comparing your behind-the-scenes to someone else’s highlight reel, and that’s never going to end well.
Social Media Literacy Is the New Self-Care
I’m all about mindfulness and boundaries when it comes to social media. It’s not about unfollowing everyone who (seems to be) thriving, it’s about reminding yourself that no one is thriving 24/7, even if it looks that way. The more you understand how content is made, the easier it is to detach emotionally from it.
So how do you build that muscle?
Curate your feed consciously. Follow people who show real moments… or better yet, mix it up with art, humor, or animals in tiny outfits.
Take breaks. Seriously. Touch grass (SORRY.) Journal. Read. Go outside without documenting it.
Remember the algorithm isn’t your friend. It wants you to stay scrolling, and it does that by feeding you content that makes you feel something, often envy, comparison, or inadequacy.
Talk about it. Social media comparison is real, and the more we acknowledge it, the less power it has.
You’re Allowed to Just Live
Not every morning needs to be captured in soft lighting with your hair tied in a perfect claw clip. Not every outfit needs to be “clean girl” chic. Your life doesn’t need to look good on a grid to be good. You can have a great week without posting a single thing. You can have a fulfilling, successful, beautiful, joyful life that’s messy, chaotic, non-curated, and private.
So the next time you’re tempted to spiral because your day didn’t look like your favorite creator’s Tuesday vlog, remember this: the most interesting people aren’t living for the algorithm. They’re just living.
TL;DR: Social media is often smoke, mirrors, and curated croissants. Don’t let it convince you your life is less-than. You’re not behind, you’re not boring, and you definitely don’t need a $200 Vogue-approved desk lamp to be doing just fine.
