Hi All, Liz here. It’s been a while, but life has been a little crazy. Everyday crap, emotional roller coaster, got accidentally drunk on a Monday night – the usual. Side note – if you are feeling some kind of way I suggest Victory Brewing sour monkey. Deeeelicious.

Isn’t social media great? You get to keep up with old friends, share pictures with family that live far away, watch video’s of dogs being rescued, stalk your old high school nemesis or your ex, compare your life with what you are seeing others post, curl up in the fetal position and cry……wait a second. We took a turn.

We all do it. Take a picture –

“Oh lawd no I have a double chin in that we gotta retake it.”

“Ohhh wait until the wind blows so that I get a beautiful wind blown look.”

“Susan, you look great in that picture but I look huge – don’t post it.”

“Hmmmm this is good…..but if I put this filter on it…money #nofilter #blessed”

You want to put your best self out there. You want to world to see you as the happiest, healthiest, most entertaining version of yourself. You want to write the story you tell and go ahead and blot out the not so great parts. If you’re like me you’re just insecure enough to believe it most of the time.

I have literally cried when upon making the regrettable decision to facebook stalk old friends (you all do it so don’t even judge me) I haven’t spoken to in ages and see their beautiful wedding pictures and dream honeymoon. It somehow makes me feel less than – it shouldn’t – but it does. They are all married and here’s Liz skipping off to Philadelphia chasing love only to end up single with two wieners. (for those of you who are really confused I have two dachshunds who are the sassiest wieners in town). How did my life turn out this way and that person is so happy skating through life with her buff manfriend who probably makes six figures.

I also LOVE to punish myself by going back and looking at pictures of myself in my prime when I was in top ironman training mode and the smallest and fittest I’ve ever been. I berate myself over where I am today and how much weight I’ve gained and end up feeling sad instead of motivated. Great job coach Liz. In reality life is a marathon not a sprint. Some miles you’re going to feel like a damn gazelle just hopping through life with your perfect little gazelle horns and swoon worthy legs. Some miles you are going to feel more like a seven hundred year old hippo with a bad hip trudging through and fighting to keep one foot in front of the other.

Last week I somehow made the mistake of looking at my Ex’s facebook. To quote Julia Roberts in Pretty Women, “Big Mistake. Big. HUGE.” He has a new girlfriend and any wind in my sails was promptly knocked out. Wasn’t expecting him to meet someone new before I did. The words that actually came out of my mouth were, “Someone wants him, and no one wants me.” In other words, I’m in a super healthy state of mind.

When I scroll through my social media images and posts for the most part I realize I am guilty of this too. Am I saying everybody snap a pic next time you’re ugly crying and post it for the world to see? Absolutely not, but I am saying the next time you find yourself looking through all those smiling faces and perfect families remind yourself that this is a snapshot of a much bigger picture. Social media is not real life. When you really break it down social media is essentially a scripted show. You are in total control of what people see and don’t see. For every perfectly posed picture you see, there is another beautiful disaster you aren’t seeing. Try and be strong, try and remind yourself you are not comparable to anyone else. You are a fucking magical unicorn and perfect exactly as you are. Also, don’t facebook stalk your ex. It wont end well.

Smooches,

Liz