Documentation is a huge part of today’s society, whether you realize it or not. Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and all those other social media platforms are just ways of documenting your everyday life. But when did documenting become better than actually living? When did the thrill of “likes” become more rewarding than the thrill of adventure? We let others decide how happy we are with how they respond to us on social media. As millennia’s we rarely ever think about this kind of stuff because we’ve grown up in a world that is consumed with documentation, even if what you’re documenting isn’t that interesting. No one really cares what you ate this morning for breakfast, but if you don’t post about it, did you really eat? Of course you did! Here arefive examples of how we are living for others and no longer living for ourselves:

1. Something as simple as a Starbucks coffee has to be posted on some sort of social media.

You have seen these photos everywhere. Someone posts a picture of his or her Starbucks cup in order to let everyone know that they went to an overpriced coffee shop. Some people only get a cup of coffee so that they can snap chat about it. We can’t even enjoy coffee unless others know about it.

2. Vacations are documented and not enjoyed.

How many times have you taken a picture while you were on vacation that made it look like you were having a blast and then proceeded to sit on your phone the rest of the time? Is letting people think that you are having a good time on vacation more satisfying than actually enjoying yourself? If you get more likes on that picture of you on the beach, does that make your trip more successful?

3. We respond to “likes” as if they were “love.”

So many people measure their popularity or success in this world by the amount of Instagram likes that they receive or the amount of twitter followers that they have. We act as if all these people care about us but we haven’t even talked to half of them in real life. It is very easy to “like” someone’s photo, but it’s a little trickier to put yourself out there and actually make new friends. Don’t let the amount of twitter followers you have be an indication on how much you are loved.

4. We post Facebook statuses that are lies just to impress others.

Everyone knows at least one person that completely exaggerates their happiness when they post on Facebook. They may post something like “My boyfriend and I are so in love” but in reality he cheats on her and she knows it. What matters is not that everyone else thinks you’re happy, but that you are actually happy.

5. We let other people sway our confidence

You know those times where you take a selfie that is just on point so you decide to post it on instagram? I mean how could you possibly know if you look good without validation from others? You’re thinking that you just look stunning in this picture but it doesn’t get that many likes or comments. You may start to think, “Well does that mean that I’m not pretty?” The answer to that is, of course not! Do not let others change the way you feel about yourself. At the end of the day, your opinion of yourself is the only one that matters.

This article is not meant to judge anyone that uses social media platforms in these ways. It is simply to remind you that life is short, and that, if you keep worrying about what others think, you will always be disappointed with their responses. Don’t get me wrong, I like to post as much as the next girl and I often have to remind myself of these points. Base how satisfied you are with your life on how you feel, not by what others think. Just remember that the only person that can dictate your future… is you.