How can I be normal?
How our perception of what is normal has been greatly affected by Social media?
Points of View:
Being a super productive freak is something that most people are looking up to. Social media, in particular, has contributed largely to the increase in anxiety and stress levels which has reached unprecedented degrees in the last few decades.
Thanks to all the people out there who share their success stories non-stop -how they can do 400 different tasks before everyone else wakes up, run 50 miles each day, and read a thousand books a year- our lives feel insignificant in comparison. On the surface, such posts claim the spread of positivity, but in reality, the great proportion of what is propagated is sheer toxicity. Yes, they are inspiring you to get up from that twisted couch and get something done, but at the end of the day, this does more harm than good.
The mindset of most people has extremely shifted because the normal standard has also changed. People now think that living the same life as that model on Instagram or running 5 different companies like Elon Musk is the new normal. Failing to perform, deliver, or simply have a similar life means that you are worthless. A quick and simple comparison between us and them is enough for us to conclude that we are such losers because we couldn’t wake up at 4 am or not having a billion followers on Instagram or OnlyFans.
The once called Normal became boring, and our personal achievements are ridiculed in front of the super-productive machine-like people out there. Instead, the life of celebrities and a bunch of stupid jobless punks, who keep pointing the camera of smartphones up close to their faces all day long for dumb reasons, became the new gold standard that most people want to assimilate.
Of course, this change in perspective and value takes place on a psychologically unconscious level. However, behold and worry not my dear reader because I have the cure that will eradicate this vicious disease for just $99.99. The answer is down to earth simple actually, ditch social media, that is all what you need to do. It is super hard (trust me on that, I tried it) and it makes you extremely anxious… but for your own good, it is the best solution to get back that sense of value that was lost once.
However, I know that you are unlikely to follow that $99.99 free advice (shame on you), so hear at least the explanation. By exposing your mind (consciously and unconsciously) to a great some of data, no matter what that data is, the neurons inside your brain create a new network of connections between its cells in order to process that data faster and more efficiently. The fully-fledged network that has been established is what psychologists, and common people, call Habit. The latter is a fully unconscious phenomenon that most of us cannot easily control unless we break the habit. Now, when you daily scroll down across dozens or hundreds of stories and posts by celebrities and Instagram influencers, models, or whatever they call themselves, you are in fact feeding your mind some seriously toxic junk food. Constant exposure to other people’s prosperity (fancy cars, glamorous palaces, extraordinary hotels, picturesque scenes), success, or productivity tricks your brain; here, you unconsciously form the habit of thinking that what you are watching is the real deal. Therefore, it is normal.
The moment we close that screen and look around, a thunderbolt of shock takes us down. Depression, anxiety, stress, worry, shame, blame, anger and all kinds of dark feelings follow up. Consequently, we feel like our life has no value in comparison.
You can always choose to stop following those who brag their fancy leather bags and shoes, or about their vacations and multi-continent trips, and pay more attention instead to yourself, the environment, and life in general. By choosing not to feed your brain such junk food, you start the process of hard resetting your brain -the breaking of the habit- which will take you back from the new “fake” normal to the old “real” normal.
Now, in case you choose to carry on your current lifestyle exposing yourself to that which intoxicate your body and soul, just keep in mind that “real” normal is good, if not the best, even if it is boring in comparison to other people’s fancy social media life (spoiler alert, their lives isn’t as great as they show).
Personally, none of what I do sounds amazing or marvellous, it is just plain normal, and there is nothing wrong with that. If that’s the case with you as well, then chill, and take it easy, it is just normal.
But wait, what if I don’t want to be normal like everybody else. I want to be great, successful, wealthy, and hold all kinds of prosperity adjectives.
Well my friend, in that case, I guess you either have self-entitlement issues, or you are getting it wrong. If the first case implies to you, then sorry to break it to you friend, but you need some professional help. But, if you are simply getting wrong, then relax. Those who have achieved great success and accumulated stunning prosperity are but normal human beings. Yet, the determining factor that got them so far ahead from the crowd is simply their positive mindset, sheer willpower, persistence, and willingness to either get what they want or die trying.
(from my book: Put Your Shit Together)
#success #mindset #motivation #socialmedia #coaching #instagram #personaldevelopment #growth #growthmindset #share #showyourwork
