Consuming Digital Content Pt 1 :: You and Others

Lately, I have been thinking a lot about the way I consume digital content. I have been reading blogs and watching YouTube influencers for at least 10 years. I think that Internet is pretty amazing. Everyone can share their bits of knowledge, experiences and contribute to a global conversation. You can get to know different cultures, religions, customs, places so so easily and that is awesome. However, there are some challenges that digital world poses to us. As a blog-reader and follower of other people, there are certain aspects I would like to point out about consuming digital content. Since I have a lot to say, I am going to split this topic into several posts. I hope that you will find them useful! Let’s begin…

A “perfect” life

There were times when I thought my life was not okay, because I could not abide with the perfect lifestyle “rules” of the online community. Some routines proposed on blogs are too time-consuming for me, or I found them too complex. Well, soon enough, I dismissed the idea. Yes, it is possible to do the things you want for yourself, but 4-hour long routines cannot simply fit into my way of life. I work more than 8 hours per day, and spend about 2 hours per day commuting. I need time to sleep and do other important things in my life.

Hence, I started thinking. Well, none of the bloggers said explicitly that you “have to” follow a perfect routine in order to live a happy life. However, I saw more and more people writing and vlogging about their perfect routines that made me think that this is the norm. I found an explanation: a lot of professional bloggers work from home, and that already means +2 hours per day for them. Sometimes, the routines they propose are not realistic for my lifestyle.

Which brings me to my next point. Why do I even have to compare our morning routines, and decide which one is better? Well, I don’t have to and I shouldn’t! I live a different life from you, and every blogger out there. There are different things that fit to our personality and schedule and are best for us. And this is perfectly fine, it is normal! There is not an objective better or worse. There is only a better me or a worse me, I have only myself to compare.

Do not compare yourself to other people

So, what about all those people who propose morning routines, night routines, lifestyle tips, etc on their blogs? Are they mean? Of course not! When a blogger publishes a post, they show you some parts of their life or some views. They just share some content that they think is of value. They also choose what they publish, which means that a reader can only get a small glimpse into the life or views of another person.

Do not fall into the trap of comparing. Rather, get inspiration and perhaps some ideas that might help you in your life. You don’t have to live the exact same life, or even similar to them. Actually that is quite wrong because it means you are not living yours. You can dismiss what you do not like or does not fit into your life. But you might also find a sentence, which might not even be the main theme of a post, that will inspire you to make some positive changes in your life. It’s all about a constructive dialogue in a sense. An exchange of thoughts and ideas that help us improve.

I would love to know your thoughts on this matter. Feel free to share them in the comments section!

xo, Helen