In a period when we are spending an increased amount of time on social media, it is worth taking a moment to reflect upon the impact that other people have on us.

Just take a few seconds to look at Instagram, twitter or Facebook and we are bombarded with images and statements that seem to reflect a world that is full of people having a wonderful time. We see ads that are telling us of the latest gadget, fad or lifestyle behavior. Celebs tell and show us the path to happiness, and in the end it all leaves us with a feeling of being “less than”

We compare, and then we despair.

Psychotherapist Dr Brian Weiss said “Happiness comes from within. It is not dependent on external things or on other people..”

Every time we feel we “should” have something we do not, or “should” be someone we are not, we base our happiness on the external, a happiness that at best is fleeting and short lived, at worse leaves us feeling empty and hollow. 

A great way to help change this mindset is to look at the things we do have, and to be consciously thankful for them. No matter how small.

Every day try and think of three things you are grateful for, just before bed or when you awake in the morning.

The idea is to just be thankful for the things that you have right now. And that could be anything! Think about what it is your thankful for, and then why you are thankful for it, what meaning it has for you.

Try and remember, that the world you see through a screen is very rarely the world as it is. It is an idealized and biased picture, painted to appear real.  It is a world based on “want” and not “need”. A made - up world that for many, leads to anxiety, despair and sadness.

Let go of:

“I want that new phone”

“I want to be thin like that movie star”

“I want to have a perfect family like my Facebook friends”

And embrace:

“I am thankful for my shoes”

“I am thankful I was able to get out of bed today”

“I am thankful that I am just alive”

You get the idea 😊