You know those folks on Instagram. The ones always posting picture-perfect lives. Working out their perfect bodies at the gym. Decked out with friends eating Michelin star meals. Perfect holiday family photos. Pristine vacationing pics. Cocktail boomerangs at the newest bar. Even posting provocative photos that don’t leave much for the imagination.
They’re the Instagram people who constantly tell us– explicitly or subtly – what WE should be doing, thinking, and saying to replicate their picture-perfect lives.
And so, we #Judge.
“This doesn’t represent my values.” “They should be ashamed.” “Show-off.” “That’s sad.” “That’s hilarious.” And maybe we unfollow. And we feel proud that we’ve expressed our displeasure and announced it to the world.
But who exactly have we judged?
Why does the post agitate OUR energy? Hurt our ego? Create resentment from within? Is it because we wish we were living their lives? Because they make us believe we are somehow incomplete and not perfect? So, should we feel ashamed? Whether it’s how we look, how many friends we have, or the things we own or get to experience.
We are really judging ourselves. Our mind’s fear-based energy tells us to compare our differences. Feel and think that we lack. Then we express our insecurity and hostility. All to feel better (albeit temporarily). But that prevents us from feeling constant peace, joy, and love for ourselves and others. We just constantly maintain a state of unhappiness.
Meanwhile, the Instagram folks with thousands of followers and likes either don’t seem to notice or don’t care about the negative feedback, or they like and feed from it.
And perhaps they’re posting because of their own sense of fear. Because if they stop posting and detach, they’ll somehow be less than perfect themselves. But they’re not happy either, because of the constant pressure to keep up appearances of pretending to be perfect and complete (which they already are!).
Fear has us all looping in unhappiness. How do we collectively stop this? By Not Minding. Try this: don’t look at those alluring photos and think low dense thoughts of lust, envy, and resentment. Instead, respond from your soul’s heart space and say:
“Like me, that’s a beautiful soul right there. And they’re posting a picture of themselves having a great time while looking beautiful and experiencing something wonderful. And I don’t mind at all. Because just like my perfect and complete soul and my beautiful body, which I’m happy with in its current state, they’re proud of theirs too. So, their energy – in the form of an Instagram posting – is raising my vibration and that of the collective. I know our bodies are temporary vessels for our Souls to experience this life. And I know it took a lot of time, effort, and courage to make that post for them and us to enjoy. So, I appreciate receiving this artistic expression of unconditional self-love. Thank you, Instagram Hygienist!”
By letting go of the mind’s fear-based energy and embracing the soul’s love-based energy, we attach to a constant state of not minding what manifests next in our lives. We are happy with our bodies, our possessions, and our experiences in every moment. And even though some of life’s lessons may be hard to bear at this moment, they’re being presented to us because we can handle them now – for our soul’s continued expansion to find love.
So, there’s no need to judge people about their posts. Don’t make up stories about why they’re posting it. Don’t bring up the past or future. Just reflect on whether this is something your soul can enjoy without judging. If you can do that, you’ll be in a constant state of bliss. And you’ll magnetize in more things – friends, abundance, travel, possessions, experiences – to make you feel more bliss.
If something agitates your soul’s peace, joy, and unconditional love-based energy (likely because it’s fear-based energy), you can simply unfollow.
But if the Instagram post agitates your mind’s own fear-based energy, ask yourself: why? What does this say about me? Why am I judging myself? Who told me to wake up today and put on clothing made of fear, shame, guilt, envy, pride, comparison, lack, etc.? No one. So don’t put on those low and dense energies. Leave them for the past and live your best life in this now moment.
About the Author:
Michael is a founding partner of DMC LLP, Canada’s largest dental-only law firm that helps dentists sell and buy practices in Ontario. Michael leads DMC’s annual Caribbean dental mission trips (Grenada, Jamaica, and Turks) Michael is now organizing Sint Maarten and Philippines dental outreach trips for 2023. Michael can be reached at michael@dentistlawyers.ca or 647.680.9530.
