What role does social media play in your life? While each person’s relationship is unique, it’s pretty evident to us that people are spending more and more time, energy and emotion on social media.
And while social media is a tool and not inherently good or bad, judging by the way most people use it, its increasing prominence is concerning. Simply put, what most people share on social media outlets is a highlight reel portraying only the best parts of their lives.
This is particularly true when it comes to health and wellness. This is what we like to call the façade of social media that many people hide behind—picture-perfect gym shots, plates of food, and so on.
Fitness professionals and models often portray perfection, but life isn’t perfect (for anyone). And the good news is that you don’t have to be perfect to enjoy extraordinary health and wellness; you just need to do your best and keep progressing over time. Hiccups are normal, and they’re critical for growth.
As Craig Ballantyne says, “It’s not win-or-lose. It’s win-or-learn.” Stop trying to live up to someone else’s fallacious ideal, especially when they’re hiding everything they don’t want you to see behind a distorted curtain.
Speaking of social media, something else that deeply concerns us is that, now more than ever, amateurs can use their own “n = 1” experiments as a platform for “helping” others. In other words, there’s a massive (and concerning) contingent of unqualified people who are blatantly offering medical advice based on their own personal experiences. Despite being well-intentioned, this is not just misguided, it’s downright dangerous (not to mention unethical and illegal).
Be very careful who’s advice you’re seeking and taking. Just because something “works” for one person doesn’t make it a good fit for you. And just because someone stayed at a Holiday Inn Express last night does not make him/her a qualified healthcare practitioner.