Reflections about last year

Upward social comparison occurs when one compares oneself with those leading better lives and/or perform better in various aspects. The function of comparison can be for various reasons, one of which can be for self improvement purposes.

This process becomes common with the proliferation of social media these days and… reinforced by the way entries are typically curated to reflect picture-perfect lives.

The raw and the run-of-the-mill footages of one’s life are typically left out as they may not generate as many “likes” and are perceived as less subscription-worthy. Instead posts are heavily edited (think: photoshopped images and captions that have been deliberated at length)— all with the hopes of gaining more “likes” and “subscription”. These are surely maintained by the demand-and-supply theory.

I scrolled through my social media, saw many people’s updates /reflections about their 2022 and found myself wondering what happened to my 2022. My automatic response was “mine seem mundane”.

Hmm, compared to whose?

Yes, I definitely did inevitably compare mine with theirs!

And I sense that with that train of thought, my mood could possibly spiral down..if I allowed it …..

This is when I became aware of the possible impact of social comparison.. impact on self esteem, confidence, well-being, motivation etc.

Just because my 2022 did not turn out the same way as theirs, and just because mine had some hiccups and unfavourable encounters, does that mean that my 2022 is less valid than theirs?

I became mindful and intentional instead. I recounted some small wins of 2022 and reviewed my photos and journals for evidence. Yes, I recall celebrating them with close loved ones. In my recollection, I smiled. And almost instantly, I felt a quiet sense of fulfilment and gratitude. I then expressed my appreciation for an amazing ride and for those who loved and supported me through all the ups and downs of 2022.

Let’s embrace the fact that there are more ways than one to lead life!

Remember you have done well no matter how your ride had been.

Even if all you did was to survive 2022, you did it!

So proud of you.

P/s: what were 3 things you were grateful for in 2022?

If you find yourself or your loved ones struggling with negative impact of social comparisons, please try the little gratitude exercise. And you can also find some support by reaching out.

Signing off with gratitude in my heart,

Jeanice

This picture depicts tendency of individuals to post "picture-perfect" photos on social media posts and how this gives rise to social comparison which can have impacts on self image and confidence.