There was a blog I recently read that talked about being made free. It mentioned ideas such as being more than our failures and our successes, being bigger than tests we take, and willing to obscure from mediocrity. The author intended for the reader to see themselves more for how the Lord views them against how the world perceives them. When I was reading the article, the one thing that kept repeating in my mind was numbers because in this world today, we are defined by numbers. I kept thinking about how much I am defined by these numbers (age, weight, grades) and how I am not free. It suddenly made me think of social media and how I am worried I define my worth by the numbers I am portrayed by online.

I have always been a big social media fan. I probably own every type of social media known to man. I use Snapchat, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, Facebook, Yik Yak, and write my own blog (if that counts). Trust me, it is really hard keeping track of my username and passwords for each of them every once in awhile. Ever since my first post on social media, it has always been a large part of my life. That can be sad to say but it is true and I am sure 90% of people my age can agree with that statement.

From the day I first set up my own Instagram, I have been hooked onto becoming “known.” I have always wanted the most followers, the most likes, and people to know me and like me. I wanted to be portrayed as someone cool, hip, and funny. However, numbers were a large part of who I was becoming. I judged my worth based on the amount of likes I got on each picture. If I didn’t get at least 100 likes on a picture, I felt like what I posted was dumb. If I didn’t receive as many likes as one of my friends on a certain picture, I didn’t feel as important. If I didn’t get any favorites on my tweet, I didn’t feel funny. How am I supposed to value my own worth when people do not like how I portray myself online?

This is the issue with social media nowadays. Everyone’s lives are devoted to social media and if they don’t have it, nobody would be known. Their lives would fade into obscurity. At least, that is what we think. People aren’t living just to live anymore. They live for the likes they will get when they post about it. They live for the Snapchats they can get to make it look like they are having fun. They live for the funny things they can post about on Facebook or Twitter. They make fake and staged poses, take 10,000 pictures in order to get one perfect one, and end up editing the life out of it. People are posing for “s’candid” pictures nowadays. Excuse me, but doesn’t the word “candid” mean you don’t pose for them? People are settling to post the same pictures, the same boring captions, the same comments, and do the same boring things as one another.

Maybe stop for a second, and let it all go. It is OK to free yourself, to go against the crowd. Maybe the next time you are at a concert, don’t feel the need to Snapchat the whole entire concert. Maybe get one video on your phone but then just enjoy the rest. Don’t force your next Instagram post. Maybe actually let a “candid” picture be candid. And, post it for you because it is dumb but you like it that way. Who cares how many likes you get? Laugh at the funny things in your life instead of tweeting about them or sharing them in your next post with laughing emojis.

Live a little. Enjoy the simple things and be spontaneous without thinking about how people will think of you. Wrap yourself up in moments with real people instead of sharing them. It is so easy today to be caught up in a world of same ideas, so be bolder. Be more than what the world thinks of you. Be bigger than the “in crowd.” Be who you want to be and stop living for other people’s approval.