Life envy

I read this article on Mamamia today and it really struck a chord with me.

Mia writes:

Do you ever get the feeling that everyone else is living their lives better than you? It’s that. The feeling that I should be doing more. Being more. But I’m not. I’m in bed with a large cup of tea and a small child snuggled under each arm. Finish line? My day hasn’t even started and already I have this nagging feeling of inadequacy. A quick glance at my Facebook feed often leaves me feeling the same way as the images whizz across my screen – overseas trips, music festivals, exhibitions, picnics, adventures, celebrations, restaurants, beaches, sunsets, parties…everyone’s lives loom so large.

Meanwhile, I go to work and I come home. Wait, sometimes I go to Westfield or the chicken shop.

And I hear you, Mia.

In a life where we are putting our "best face forward" on social media, it always seems as though our lives are less exciting, less full than everyone around us. 

I live life as a contradiction - trying to live a fast-forward life while actually moving in slow motion.

Steve Furtick was onto something.

Steve Furtick hit the nail on the head when it comes to "life-envy" - 'Don't compare your behind-the-scenes to everybody else's highlights reel'. And it is true - my world-travelling, fine-restaurant-visiting, bungy-jumping, mountain-climbing, extreme-sport-participating, fun-loving friends have wonderful things to post on FB and Instagram, but they don't live with chronic illness. They get to bounce out of bed each morning and start their day, where mine is more of a stretch-for-an-hour-before-feet-can-hit-the-floor-and-shuffle-to-the-kitchen-to-take-my-body-weight-in-meds start to the day. 

I, like Mia, go to work, and come home, with the occasional detour to the supermarket (or more commonly, to a medical appointment or the pharmacy). Of course my life isn't going to look as impressive on a highlight reel - but it's my life, my lot, and I accept it. The pangs of guilt and envy hit every now and again, but I'm not ashamed of my life in all it's mundane-ness. Because someone, somewhere, would kill for my boring, mundane life where I have a job, and a roof over my head. And that's all the highlight reel I need.