I am a teenager. I am an equestrian. I have chronic anxiety. The perfect storm to become extremely intimidated by “perfection” on social media. I know that I am not alone in spending hours scrolling through Instagram, comparing myself to other riders (especially ones around my age). I start questioning myself: Why don’t I ride like that? How does he/she ride so effortlessly? I work just as hard; how come I am not as good as them? Hour by hour, post by post, I tear myself apart.
It is extremely important to note that the reality of social media, is that it IS NOT REALITY. A single post is a single moment of time, a tiny sliver of the grand scheme of life. Generally, people only post the best moments on social media, further adding to this illusion of perfection. And, that is okay. One of the ways that I boost my confidence is scrolling through my own Instagram, reflecting on some of the best moments of my riding career. I think that it is a beautiful thing to be able to share your personal highlights with the world. Social media is a fantastic tool for both networking and as a personal memoir. However, again, the reality of social media is that it isn’t reality. Life, and ESPECIALLY life as an equestrian, is not perfect. These perfect moments that we post on social media are singular moments. Hours, days, months, years of blood, sweat, and tears pour in to these singular moments that we have the pleasure of sharing. So, the next time I find myself scrolling through Instagram and comparing myself to other riders, I will challenge myself to remember that that girl with the blue ribbon or that boy with a perfect dressage test put in the blood, sweat, and tears. I am seeing a snapshot of their story, the snapshot that ISN’T blood, sweat, or tears. I challenge you to do the same. Instead of convincing ourselves that we are “not as good” as the people we see on social media, let’s celebrate each other’s accomplishments and remember why we love this sport.
2 Comments
Sierra
2/15/2021 08:07:15 pm
Well said Erin!!
Reply
Emma
2/15/2021 08:20:48 pm
i definitely relate to comparing myself especially bc im only competing at the BN and entry levels and many others my age are already movibg on to training and novice.
Reply
Leave a Reply. |
Details
AuthorErin Lassere Archives
March 2021
Categories |