Don't compare the inside of your life to the outside of someone else's...

Whilst in the beaming sunshine this morning, outside Gail’s along the Portobello Road, I was struck by how easy it is for others to misjudge one-another’s lives based on just a snapshot. As I sat writing my diary, in my favourite lemon jumpsuit, with a coincidentally well-coordinated apple juice, various passers-by commented, and one even took a picture. Now, I don’t know for certain, but I’m pretty sure that the assumptions these people made about my life from passing by were very far removed from my reality. 

Later, when my friend arrived, we got talking about comparisons, and it got me thinking about how deceptive photos can be, and how much people compare, based on these snapshots. I know what you’re thinking, ‘but Mima, you’re the worst; you take so many photos’, and it’s true, I do. However, it’s also an outlet for me; in a weird way taking photos takes me out of myself/my head. But, I am very aware that I don’t post photos of the un-aesthetic, messy part of my life, the part that is my every day. 

I once read a quote, ‘comparison is the thief of joy’, and in my opinion, that couldn’t be more true. We’re all guilty of it though; the endless scrolling through Instagram, flicking through Facebook etc. We all know that social media will only make us miserable, yet somehow, we’re still drawn in, and it’s only accentuated by how accessible it appears, to see inside each other’s lives. Note the word ‘appears’, I use that word because it’s not a true depiction, it’s a snapshot; it’s easy to make out your life is something it’s not. But when scrolling, we all too often forget that. That’s why I wanted to share this photo from just the other evening, it shows a glimpse of my life, a side I don’t post online. Why don’t I? Because it’s not aesthetically pleasing, because I don’t want pity, because I use my Instagram as a positive space to look back on my happiest times. BUT, when we only share our highest highs we forget that we all also endure low lows too. 

Don’t compare the whole of your life to a curated snapshot of another’s.