Your perception is not my reality...

Social media can be a blessing and a curse. On one hand, it keeps us connected to those we want to stay connected to. It allows us to share things we want to with family and friends. It keeps us updated on the latest whether it be news, trends, etc. It also grants us an opportunity to connect with others we may not know and build new friendships. The downside to it, is it opens us up to criticism from others that we may or may not be interested in. It allows people to say whatever they want to you since they are behind a computer or mobile device. The worst part of social media in my opinion, is at times it can create a warped perception of you by people who don't truly know you.

It's no secret that most of us have people on our friends list who don't really know us. They could be classmates from the past, people you went to church with, people you worked with, or even people who maybe you met through a friend during an outing. Sometimes it's nice to connect with them, sometimes it's not. The reality is they don't really know you. So it's easy for them to perceive you a certain way based on your posts because that's all they really see of you. They don't see you outside of facebook or instagram so that's all they have to go off of. Some of us with sense know that what people post may be a hot 20% of their life. Most people don't have sense. Most people assume what you post is your life. So I get it...

OMG you're always traveling and never at work...

OMG you're always having so much fun and look so happy...

OMG you always have new clothes...

OMG you're always at a baby shower or wedding...

No. No. NO. and No. LOL It may look that way because those are the things and photos i'm sharing. But think about the things and photos I'm not sharing. When I'm idle for 7 weeks going to the gym and work and that's it, no one says OMG you're always at the gym or you're always at work. When I am rotating between the same two pairs of black jeggings every weekend, no one is saying OMG you're always wearing those pants. When I am suffering from allergies or period cramps every month, no one is saying OMG you always have cramps or you're always sneezing. Because I don't post about those things. It's silly and unnecessary. But it exists. And it happens regularly. You also cannot judge how happy someone is just because they are smiling in a picture. I know a ton of miserable people who have pics smiling. Those two things aren't synonymous people. It's just a smile, in a picture. I get it though. People want to somehow put you in a box and label you. Just so they can feel like they understand you. Just so they can feel like they know you and can say, "Yeah I know [insert my name here], we are facebook friends!" No bitch - you don't know me. This is what I want people to understand. YOU. DON'T. KNOW. ME.

A young lady I went to friggin elementary school with proceeded to comment on one of my photos the other day asking if I won the lottery and what was the secret to a well traveled life. LOL. LOL. LOL. LOL. Because she is not the first person who questioned me about my money before, I decided to reply back in my normal sarcastic way for those who talk out the side of their neck. Sell your body on the weekends. She replied with, not about that life and enjoy your vacay. She then proceeded to remove me as a friend. LOL. Girl bye. You don't know what I do for a living. I could be a surgeon for all you know, I could be married to a millionaire, shit I could be VP of a department in a Fortune 500 company. The point is, you don't know. And really it is none of your business. Not to mention I am tired of people associating travel with being rich. But that is a post for another day. I just don't get where people get off saying whatever they want to say on your posts when they don't know you.

I remember during a time where I was planning a few baby showers for friends on a regular basis, people would always comment on my shit, when are you going to have a baby? Um, maybe when I get a husband fool. I know how yall get down but I don't get down like that so FOH. Regardless, it's pretty rude to ask someone that because 1. you're assuming I want to have children and 2. you're assuming I can have children.

I say all of this to say, stop commenting crazy things on people's posts that you do not know. Enjoy the ish, like it, read it, keep it moving. That's it. Because what you  may perceive is not always what it really is.