How Social Media Warps Your Self-Worth

Stop Comparing

4 min read

1 hour ago

Listen

I remember scrolling through Instagram one rainy Sunday afternoon, half-hoping to feel inspired but mostly expecting the familiar pang of envy. There she was: flawless lighting, glowing skin, a perfectly organized apartment, and a smoothie bowl that looked like it belonged in a magazine. And there I was, hunched on my couch in sweatpants, with a lukewarm cup of coffee and an inbox full of unfinished tasks.

I tried to shrug it off, telling myself, “Everyone’s life is curated online. I know that.” But the truth? My self-worth felt tiny. It didn’t matter that I had just finished a big creative project or that I had spent the morning actually enjoying my own company. Seeing everyone else’s “highlight reel” had me questioning everything about myself: Am I doing enough? Am I attractive enough? Am I… enough?

It wasn’t just Instagram. TikTok, Pinterest, even the newsletters I subscribed to — everything seemed to whisper, “Compare. Measure. Judge.” And slowly, almost invisibly, it chipped away at my confidence. I wasn’t failing in life; I was failing at comparison.

The Moment I Realized I Needed to Stop

The turning point came unexpectedly. I was mid-scroll when I noticed my hands trembling slightly. Not dramatic, but enough to make me…