Lost Limelight

Lost limelight. Social media is notorious for this. You’re killing it as an influencer, then all of a sudden, you’re not. You’re left with mixed feelings. But the one that stands out for many is, needing to get back on top. Needing to get back into the publics eye. So, you take chances. You push the envelope. You do things that you wouldn’t normally do. And why do you do it? To get back into the limelight.

Let’s be clear about this. Most everyone wants positive strokes. But here’s the thing. When we don’t get them, do we feel less than? This pushes many outside their norm. Trying to capture attention from people that they have never met before, and probably never will. It’s a trap and it is unhealthy. Social media should be social. Not a measure of self-worth. That must come from within. And no amount of “likes” is going to change that.

I am from a time when social media did not exist. You had your core group of friends, and people that you sat next to in school. If you were enrolled in an afterschool activity, you had a few more connections. Other than that, you were on your own, babe. And what was cool about that was, if someone dropped off, you almost always knew why. On social media however, when the drop off comes, you are left guessing. So, we build up some story in our head, have several theories, and then become something we are not. We represent ourselves in a way that is not true to ourselves.

Forget the limelight. I know it can be exciting and a money maker. But you know what else it can be? An addiction, a mental health disorder, and in some cases, the end of a life. All I am saying is be who you are. Not some version that you think others want you to be. A whole generation is being tricked into what they see on social media. Not all of it is fake. But let’s look it it like this. You date someone new. And the first couple of months seem cool, but then the real them shows up. Flaws and all. That’s not a bad thing. You are just getting to meet the real them. And that’s social media. Don’t be fooled by everything you see. And don’t chase what you think others want you to be.

There is no limelight. There is just your inner light. And at the end of the day, you will sleep better being who you are. And who you really are, will put you in places that you could not get to otherwise. Yeah, going viral is cool. Know what else is cool? People loving the real you.