Have you ever been hungry? That’s a silly question…of course you have. Hunger is triggered by a basic human need…food. But have you ever been hungry to the point where you felt like a bottomless pit? Like everything you ate just fell into an endless, unsatisfied, abyss and you couldn’t stop yourself from consuming more and more and NEVER getting that feeling of contentment? If you’re a woman, odds are you’ve felt this way during “Aunt Flow’s” unwelcome monthly visit. But for most of us, male or female, you’ve experienced this unyielding hunger for another human need…acceptance.

We live in the microwave generation. Instant access to everything. Instant answers via google, instant movies, and instant communication to people around the globe. Everything you desire at the click of a button. Social media has made it to where you can keep up with everyone in your life, as easy as scrolling down your TL. It’s an amazing tool…with a down side. How many times have you posted an amazing selfie or picture of a child/pet and been left heartbroken at the amount of “likes” you did not receive? And no matter how many times you felt that rejection did you continue to post & post…hoping for a better result?

I know I’m not the only one…This goes all the way back to the days of…Myspace. I remember coming home from school daily and logging onto Myspace and being super “crunk” (because we used that terminology back then) when I was greeted with…

New messages?! New comments?! New Photo comments?! New friend requests?! For meeeee?!!! Oh, the instant gratification I felt knowing that people were not only viewing but engaging me, on my site. “THEY LIKE ME!! THEY REALLY LIKE ME!!” But it was never enough…I wanted more…more likes, more messages, more reasons to feel like I had the juice! I was serving up the OJ, in a tall glass of cuteness, and I wanted everyone to know and TELL A FRIEND. && don’t even sit there and judge me, like you didn’t do the same. Taking hours to pick the perfect layout, song, and color scheme. It wasn’t just something we wanted…we needed it…like Kanye West needs attention…like Donald Trump needs weave… like moms need wine!

IT. WAS. SO. NECESSARRY.

Then, you visit the next person’s page whether male/female and see that theirs is 3x as popping as yours, they got special effects you didn’t even know were a thing, and your crush is #2 on their top 8. Nooooooooooo!

I felt like Snow White’s unfortunate step mother, who just wanted to be the fairest…”Mirror mirror, on the wall, who is the cyber queen of them all?”…Not you shawty…CERTAINLY. Not. You! It was disheartening, to say the least.

Anyways, Myspace died a few years later and everyone migrated to Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. And it became like a drug…a deep rooted addiction, for approval…and no matter how many times we get that “like” fix…we always crave more. More likes…more comments…more snap chat views…It’s escalated to the point where if a picture doesn’t receive an acceptable amount of likes we became embarrassed, depressed, and ashamed. You post a selfie and recheck the app or your phone 20 times in 5 minutes…waiting on the flood of likes and comments to start lighting up your notifications…and NOTHING! Was my make up not on fleek? My hair not swooped to perfection? Why don’t y’all like me?!! && As a result you second guess yourself because you lacked all that digital approval, that you’ve become addicted to. No offense to any or everyone but ~~BUMP~~ what y’all think! ~~Bump~~, what anyone thinks!

It took me a long time to stop seeing my worth, through the eyes of society. As much as no one “likes” (pun intended) to admit it, we have all had to deal with this type of insecurity. Stop posting for everyone else…post for you. Because that quote made you feel good or because that picture reminds you of that funny moment, from Saturday. When I started posting things because I liked them and not for instant gratification, I became content. Content with 10 likes or even zero. I decided that if no one else likes it…I LOVE IT!!

One of the main themes throughout my blog will always be to love yourself. Because I understand how hard that can be, when you’re in silent competition with others. Don’t allow what others do or don’t do to affect the way you view yourself.

100 Likes has never = A Happy Life.

Know that!!

&& STAY. GOLDEN. Y’ALL