Keeping Up with the Joneses

Do you ever feel like you are constantly trying to keep up with the Joneses, but you aren’t even quite sure who the Joneses are or why you are trying to keep up with them? I am guilty of this at times, feeling like I need to be playing the beat of the same drum as others in some ways to feel accomplished. However, I know this is not right.. I truly think social media has a big piece to do with this because we are all invited to see what our “friends” are doing/wearing/driving and the list goes on. I feel like sometimes we can not help but compare and think we are falling short… when that is far from the truth, and instead we should be playing the beat of our own drum rather than being worried about playing the same tune as someone else. The beauty of life is that we are able to live our own individual lives how we see fit, and just because it doesn’t look like the life of the “Joneses”(whoever they even are) does not mean we are doing anything wrong. I mean at the end of the day there is no specific right/wrong on how to live YOUR life. We do not have to do what everyone else is doing/ go where everyone else is going/do the latest trends to “win” at life. I think it’s where individuality has fallen short in our era because we think we are supposed to be doing things the same as others on some level when that’s simply just not true. Plus, it puts an unnecessary pressure on us to carry that mindset around. I truly admire who people who do not always fall into societies ways, and instead do things purely off of their own intentions ..even if it looks different from everyone else. So, I’m challenging myself (and whoever else might be reading this) to do some self reflecting and just do/be you, I can promise you aren’t missing out on anything by living that out.