BODYZONE.
THE CURSE OF
comparison WHEN SCROLLING THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA PAGES, IT’S NOT UNCOMMON TO START FEELING THAT EVERYONE ELSE’S LIFE LOOKS PERFECT. IT’S IMPORTANT TO PUT IT IN PERSPECTIVE, SAYS ANDREA OAKES.
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eading news of yet another 70%-plus score or a national championship qualification can soon cast a shadow across our own achievements. And while we may be happy enough with our set up, things can suddenly pale into insignificance when we see someone modelling their fabulous new riding boots or marvelling at the five star potential of the latest addition to their string. Ideally, we’d be big enough to brush off these distractions and wish our friends and fellow competitors well. Facebook and Instagram pages can be a great place to share ideas and a valuable source of inspiration and support, after all, strengthening our equestrian community. So how can we control any feelings of inadequacy and self-doubt to maintain a healthy relationship with social media?
KEEPING PERSPECTIVE
has taken a rider to reach that point and the many sacrifices, mistakes and negative emotions along the way.” Lynn stresses the importance of understanding why equestrian athletes use social media. “Many are aiming to publicise their sponsors and attract new clients,” she says, pointing out that making things look easy is good for business. “To promote breeding, professionals showcase their ashiest horses; to advertise training, they only mention their most successful clients. “We’re constantly told that winning isn’t everything – it’s all about the learning and experience,” adds Lynn. “Yet very few athletes openly acknowledge their mistakes and weaknesses or mention poor results. Some do aim to help others and provide insight into areas such as fitness, diet and mental health, but most social media posts involve perfect pictures, high percentages and thank yous to owners and sponsors.” If we fail to recognise that these pages are a carefully edited shop window’, explains ynn, we can start to feel that our lives don’t measure up. “Some riders use what they see on social media as an excuse for not performing, pointing out If I had ,
IMPORTANTLY, WE SHOULDN’T COMPARE OURSELVES TO THOSE WE SEE ON SOCIAL MEDIA
According to chartered psychologist Dr ynn al facebook r ynn al , the key is to recognise social media posts for what they really are: a snapshot in time. “It’s common to feel that the grass is always greener, but it’s vital to keep perspective,” she says. “When we see a post about a big win, we’re witnessing the results of five to eight minutes of competition. What we fail to see is the months and years it
