10 Things Social Media Has Normalised That Can Quietly Mess With Your Reality

Social media and influencers have normalised unrealistic lifestyles that distort our sense of reality. What we see online is often filtered, edited, or staged, making us believe everyone else is thriving while we’re falling behind. The truth is, most of it isn’t real.

I remember a phase when my evenings looked the same: I’d finish dinner, lie on my bed, and scroll through Instagram until my eyes burned. Every swipe showed another person “living their best life.” Everyone looked so happy. So rich. So free.

Someone was sipping iced coffee in Bali. Someone else had “quit the corporate grind” to travel full-time. Another was earning a six-figure passive income by selling digital journals online. And there I was—tired from work, hair in a bun, staring at my phone, wondering if I was doing something wrong with my life.

Here’s the thing: social media has a way of making ordinary life feel like failure. Everything you see on the internet seems real. But the truth is, what you see is not the whole story.

10 Things Social Media Has Normalised That Can Quietly Mess With Your Reality

So let’s talk about it. Let’s unpack the illusions that influencers and social media have normalised and how they quietly twist our sense of reality.

1. “Quitting Your Job Means Freedom”

I’ve lost count of the number of posts saying, “I quit my job, and now I travel the world and work on my own terms,” or “Your job is the problem; escape it and find happiness.” They make it sound like walking away from your 9-to-5 is a brave, liberating act.

But here’s the truth: most of us can’t (and shouldn’t) just drop everything. Many people doing this are in special circumstances, supported by savings, side income, or a lot of risk. A job isn’t a prison sentence. It’s stability. It’s food on the table. It’s peace of mind. 

Personally, I love my job. It pays my bills, helps me support my family, and gives structure to my days. There’s a strange trend online that glorifies quitting as rebellion. But honestly, there’s nothing rebellious about responsibility.

Sure, if your workplace is toxic, leave. But don’t let anyone make you feel small for choosing stability. That’s not “settling.” That’s being smart. 

2. “Constant Travel Means You’re Successful”

I once followed a travel influencer who seemed to be on a permanent vacation. She was in Santorini, Bali, and Tokyo every few weeks. Her captions were full of lines like “You only live once, so explore!”

I used to envy that freedom… until I learned she actually worked in the restaurants and hostels she stayed in just to afford her next flight. Her posts weren’t lies, but they weren’t the full picture either.

The truth is, not everyone who travels endlessly is living luxuriously. Sometimes it’s survival disguised as adventure. Travel is wonderful, but so is finding joy in routine. Travel when you can, but don’t measure your life by how many countries you’ve been to. 

Celebrate the ordinary, everyday life, too. A walk to your neighborhood café, cooking dinner, and reading on your balcony. And if travel becomes so constant that you’re always moving and never settling, ask: whose life am I modelling?

3. “Monetise Your Hobby”

This one hooked me the hardest. I saw an influencer talk about how she made money publishing journals on Amazon Kindle. I was mesmerised. She had a course. I bought it. It was pricey.

Inside? Generic AI templates and a list of upsells.

That’s when I realized how dangerous this message is: “Turn your passion into profit.” 

If your hobby makes you happy, it doesn’t need to make you money. You don’t have to commercialize your peace. 

When money enters the picture, joy often leaves. Hobbies are safe when they’re low-pressure. When you add income expectation, you add stress, competition, advertising spend, and pressure to maintain visibility.

However, if you want to monetise, go in with eyes open: research competition, costs, and realistic timelines. Don’t assume “because someone did it, you will too” automatically.

4. “Overnight Success”

Social media feeds love a transformation story:

“I started last year and now I’m earning 6 figures.”

“I posted one reel and it went viral.”

But remember, most successes aren’t overnight. Behind every ‘overnight’ story is years of invisible effort, trial, rejection, and luck. There are hours behind the camera, editing, planning, failed posts, and slow growth.

Algorithms favour certain things, and viral isn’t sustainable. They are built to push quick wins.  They reward sensationalism, not authenticity. Due to this, many influencers face stress, burnout, and mental health issues.

When we see those viral stories, we start believing success should come easily. However, real success is slow. It’s quiet. It’s often lonely.

5. “Everyone Else Is Living Their Best Life”

There was a time I believed this. Everyone looked happier, richer, and more in love than me. Perfect mornings, flawless families, flawless relationships, never a dull moment.

But the story off camera is totally different. Everyone has struggles. Those perfect couple reels often hide fights, insecurities, budget constraints, and off-camera stress.  Couples who post endless lovey-dovey reels of romantic trips, candlelight dinners with gushy captions, may not show you the complete truth.

Truth is, they are just like us with ups and downs in their relationships. Most of the time, couples stay more out of investment than joy. Therefore, remind yourself that your feed is edited. 

Celebrate your own life with all its ups and downs. You don’t need to show everything. You don’t need to compare. Remember, we’re all our own PR managers online. So don’t believe the curated perfection. Everyone fights their own silent battles.

6. “Perfect Skin, Perfect Body”

I am sure you must have been exposed to all those filtered faces, flawless skin, bodies “after” transformation, and constant product drops on the internet. If you spend enough time online, you start believing that clear skin, a snatched waist, and glossy hair are the minimum requirements for being human.

Filters, angles, editing apps, all of these have blurred the line between real and fake. Real skin has texture, pores, and changes with hormones, seasons, and stress. Real bodies don’t always have abs or model shots.

Honestly, there was a time I used to fall for it. I’d buy every new skincare product an influencer mentioned, even went into debt once. I had drawers of unopened serums and toners that expired before I ever touched them.

It took time to accept the truth. And when I did, I unfollowed or muted accounts that trigger self-criticism. Perfection isn’t real—it’s a filter. Embrace your reflection.

7. “Scrolling Is Self-Care”

We’ve been tricked into thinking scrolling equals rest. It doesn’t.

It’s mental stimulation disguised as relaxation. The brain is still working, still comparing, still absorbing.

One weekend, I decided to switch my phone off for 24 hours. At first, I didn’t know what to do with myself. But then I realized—I suddenly had hours. Hours to read, cook, nap, talk, exist.

That’s when I understood how much of my time was being quietly stolen.

8. “Social Media Advice = Universal Truth”

Algorithms are sneaky. Once when I had a fight with my husband, my feed started showing me reels that screamed “Leave him. You deserve better!” It was creepy, like the algorithm was eavesdropping.

The algorithm mirrors what it thinks you feel with all the data it collects and then amplifies it.  It feeds you what it thinks you want to see.

Not every piece of relationship advice online fits your situation. Real relationships take work. Sometimes, what you need is communication, not advice from strangers online. If you want wisdom, seek it offline. The algorithm isn’t your therapist.

9. “Everyone Is Honest About Their Lives”

They’re not. People lie on the internet. Sometimes to impress, sometimes to survive.

Some influencers buy stock images and pretend they’re theirs. Others post about financial freedom while drowning in debt. With AI, it has become so much easier to fake a lifestyle. 

The prettiest profiles often hide the most exhaustion. Social media rewards the illusion of control. We all want to follow someone who looks like they’ve figured life out.

But nobody has. We’re all figuring it out.

10. “If It’s Not Posted, It Didn’t Happen”

This might be the biggest lie of all. I’ve done it too, posting just to prove that I was happy, that I was living. But here’s what I learned: the best moments are often the ones you don’t record. Because you were too busy living them.

Life doesn’t need to be documented to be meaningful. You don’t need likes to validate your existence. Your memories, your laughter, your small moments, they matter even if nobody sees them.

What You Can Do Instead

It’s one thing to see through the illusion. It’s another to live differently. Here are some gentle ways to reclaim your perspective:

1. Curate your feed consciously. Unfollow people who make you feel inadequate.

2. Set digital boundaries. Try phone-free hours or a social media-free day each week.

3. Ground yourself in reality. Notice your environment, your body, your people.

4. Talk to real humans. Face-to-face connection beats 100 comment threads.

5. Journal your gratitude. What’s ordinary for you might be extraordinary for someone else.

6. Remember the cost of “content.” Behind every perfect post is time, money, or emotional labor.

7. Be okay with being unseen. Privacy is peace.

Conclusion: Reality Is Still Enough

Sometimes I wonder what the world would feel like if we all stopped performing for the internet. Would we still buy as much? Compare as much? Feel as small?

Maybe not.

The truth is, the life we scroll through isn’t real life; it’s marketing. And we’re the product being sold on the idea that we’re not enough.

But once you see the illusion, you stop chasing it. You start living differently. You start appreciating the ordinary: the paycheck, the laughter, the messy living room, the quiet nights, the unposted joys.

And that’s where reality feels real again.

Key Takeaways

• Your 9-to-5 is not the enemy.
• Ordinary life is still a good life.
• Hobbies can be hobbies, not pressure to profit.
• Real success takes time and effort.
• No one’s life is as perfect as it looks.
• Perfection online is a filter, not a fact.
• Scrolling is stimulation, not rest.
• The algorithm doesn’t know your heart.
• Nobody online has it all together.
• You are allowed to live quietly and still live fully.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Is all influencer content fake?

Not necessarily. Many share genuine stories. But always remember: you’re seeing a highlight reel, not their whole life.

2. How can I stop comparing my life to others?

Limit your scroll time. Follow people who make you feel good, not inferior. Spend more time living than watching.

3. What’s the healthiest way to use social media?

Treat it like a tool, not a mirror. Use it to learn, laugh, connect—but not to measure your worth.

4. Why do I feel bad after scrolling?

Because your brain compares even subconsciously. You’re seeing everyone’s peak moments while living your everyday life. That imbalance breeds envy and self-doubt.

5. Is it okay to post happy things online?

Of course. Joy is worth sharing. The issue isn’t posting. Rather, it’s believing that posts define worth.

6. What if my job or life really does feel boring compared to others?

That’s okay. Stability, routine, and quiet contentment don’t look glamorous. But they’re deeply fulfilling.

7. How can I teach my kids to see through online perfection?

Be honest. Show them the editing, the filters, the paid ads. Teach them to ask, “Is this true or is this a promotion?”

8. Does taking breaks from social media actually help?

Absolutely. Studies show digital detoxes improve focus, self-esteem, and sleep. Even a few hours offline can reset your brain.

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Have you ever believed something you saw on social media only to find out it wasn’t real? Drop your thoughts in the comments. Let’s talk about the illusions we’ve outgrown.

This post is a part of Blogchatter Half Marathon 2025.

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