psychology
Why people who don’t compare themselves are happier
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Ever since Instagram, Facebook and Co, we’ve been seeing what a great life other people have. It doesn’t matter what everyone else does for our personal happiness.
Viola Kaiser
Whenever I stay longer on Facebook or Instagram, I don’t necessarily feel better afterwards. Because somehow everyone there has washboard abs, thigh gaps, are always at super cool parties or lie on fantastic beaches. I realize, of course, that none of this is real. Still something about it sticks when I see it. Aren’t they all thinner than me? And don’t they know more people? Don’t they all have a lot more money, free time and joy?
We live in an age of envy
The Royal Society of Public Health, together with the “Young Health Movement”, found out that Instagram in particular has a negative impact on the mental life of adolescents and young adults. It led to poor self-image and a more negative body image in study participants. Yes, it could even lead to depressive moods. According to various US studies, we live in an “age of envy”. However, this is not only one of the seven deadly sins, it is above all annoying.
However, envy only arises when one compares oneself with others – and has the feeling of doing poorly. The solution to this problem is very simple: stop comparing! Sounds easy now, but nowadays it’s not. But you can practice something like that, for example by making it clear to yourself what you have and not what the others have.
You can also ask yourself the question of whether everything you see is real. Then there are very simple tools so that you no longer see anything with which you can compare yourself. Measure one: If you would like to stay on Facebook or Instagram, simply unfollow and unsubscribe from the show-offs and posers who are particularly keen on presenting their hot lives especially for social media channels.
Do what makes you happy as often and as much as possible
To be honest, it doesn’t matter whether the neighbors have more money or a bigger car. It doesn’t matter whether XY from daycare has more free time or the cousin has a much more toned body. What matters is what you want for yourself. What do you need to know? What makes you happy. The formula is therefore simple: do what makes you happy, as often and as much as possible. Then the comparison stops all by itself.
Also, psychologists say you can educate yourself about what’s good, not what we don’t have. And if we do start comparing, it can also help improve our lives – by telling us what we can, should or should change. For us, not for the others.