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The Confidence Journey - 014:Confidence and Media

In today's world it won't be wrong to say that Confidence and Media are connected.

We have Facebook,twitter, Instagram, youtube, Koo upto thread (now). A lot of influencers branding alot of products, so many people defining the looks and beauty of male - female body, ambitions and career. Any or many aspects of one's life can be compared with what we see online. We see, and we believe. Tell me, don't you ever feel like going to Maldives and wearing an amazing bikini when you see your friend or colleague's social media pictures enjoying their vacation in Maldives, not just somebody you know but also celebrities nowadays define alot of our choices.

But the real question is do you wish to go to Maldives because you like going there prior to seeing your friend / a celebrity there? Was it ever your dream? No! Most of our dreams are instilled in us by some or the other influences. You might like travelling, travelling around the world , but when you decide to go to Maldives, you are influenced by somebody and the way they portray Maldives to you. Now take away maldives and see what is the one thing that gives you a longing for, when you see some online posts or influencing, is it a skinny model figure, a good plump lip, a nice sports car, a big house, or a better career than what you are in right now, or maybe the relationship goals that you see online? something that you feel you don't have at this moment, which makes you feel a little sad, or jealous. Now a negative feeling builds up making you feel like you are not worthy to have to or you are not lucky enough to have it, but are you really? You like what you see, but there are alot of things that you don't see- the behind the camera scenarios. We cannot say that our life is inferior to anybodys because we don't know anybody completely. We are allowed to feel low, we can have both good days and bad days. It's natural. Feeling jealous or sad is also natural. But what is NOT NATURAL is our OBSESSION with other people's social media portrayal of a happy life when we are also aware that social media does not even cover 1/4 th of truth or reality of a person's life. As the saying goes " All that glitters is not gold", it definitely is not.

When you lose confidence over your capability or looks or the people you are blessed with in your life, you are simply saying you don't want happiness, you want to remain miserable and by choice! Confidence is influenced by alot of media contents for most of us, all of us in some way or the other. But each human being is unique in their own way. We cannot compare our career or body or emotions or people or choices with somebody else's. I am sure even celebrities wish sometimes that nobody knew them, so they could have had a peaceful life, it's not so easy to live in the public. Sure Media influences us both in the good way and also bad, but toxicity reaches people more than goodness, as with the isolations during covid lockdown many people have gone through alot of psychological issues, loneliness, pain, financial/ career issues; we are all vulnerable, we are all human, we are all fallible, Nobody is perfect. Hence, there is no need to get influenced by luxury or power beyond a point that it makes you think you are any less or a loser. Confidence is the key to success, it's precious.

"Man often becomes what he believes himself to be. If I keep on saying to myself that I cannot do a certain thing, it is possible that I may end by really becoming incapable of doing it. On the contrary, if I have the belief that I can do it, I shall surely acquire the capacity to do it even if I may not have it at the beginning." - Mahatama Gandhi

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