Hi everyone it's the Business Guy back again. Today, in this era, social media has become an integral part of our lives.
We are constantly checking Instagram, Facebook and other platforms to see what others are upto.
But here’s the twist- sometimes it makes us feel bad about ourselves especially when it comes to money.
Recently I came across something known as “money dysmorphia.” It is like looking at the mirror and seeing something else instead. But instead of being about our looks, it becomes about our finances.
This means feeling less than because we come across people on the internet who have better lives than us and so start comparing ourselves with them.
This is because I’ve been there too. There are moments when I get envy whenever my friends update their status with their latest shopping or their wonderful tours.
It is like I begin to ask myself about how I have managed my money and whether it has been right. Even though in the bottom of my heart, I’m aware that social media only offers a glimpse of what someone’s life looks like, yet it’s hard to avoid getting entangled up into this.
What’s even more amazing is that this feeling is far from exclusive to me only. A study conducted showed that almost half of all young people had money dysmorphia.
This means there are so many others who feel just as I do. And not only youngsters - this affects people of any age group too.
Nonetheless, it is not fit for you. Nevertheless, comparing ourselves to others and feeling unfulfilled because of it can result in overexpenditure and financial strain.
Additionally, mental health issues are involved as well as money matters. Thus, constantly feeling inadequate is somewhat detrimental to our happiness.
But one thing is that we are bombarded with pictures of people being successful and rich everywhere we go.
We seem always to be given an impression that unless one has the latest gadgets, the most fashionable clothes and goes on the best vacation they cannot be happy. It is however true that possessions cannot give us happiness.
It’s occurred to me that a change in mindset is necessary. Instead of comparing myself with others, I should focus on my own targets and desires that make me happy.
It’s important to remember that every person has his or her own financial journey and mine may not look like someone else’s.
That explains why I decided to give social media a wide berth. This doesn’t mean that I will delete all my accounts at once but rather they will be used less frequently now.
Instead of having a life which is good for the gram, I want to build one that matters to me most. Excerpt from “What We’re Doing with Our Money by Tammy Lally”
I have also begun to reassess my expenditure habits. I am not buying things just because others are buying them, but I am trying to be more conscious of my money.
I would like to set some goals for myself and focus on what is truly important.
In the final analysis, I believe it is necessary to keep in mind that money isn’t everything. Of course, it’s great to have nice stuffs but real joy comes from within. No amount of money can buy that.
Therefore, let us concentrate on what matters most and live lives that are truly ours.