Social Media Issues

I think my two least favorite feelings in the world are regret and jealousy.  I am pretty good about not regretting things, though, either due to a conscious effort to seize most opportunities presented to me or else because I come up with silly "well even though everyone had fun at the party I might have gotten in a car accident on the way home" excuses that remind me that my life's good.  But the other feeling, jealousy, is one that I am not as adept at avoiding.

I have a great life.  I love my family and friends to pieces, and I like my (Purchasing) job most of the time.  I have done well in school and have had a lot of fun.  I have been on enough wonderful vacations and thrilling adventures to feel like my life has variety and spontaneity.  I have a deep faith in God and I try to focus on what is really important during this short time I have on earth.

But then I look at Facebook and Pinterest, and the insecurities that I didn't know I had spring up like weeds.  On Pinterest I see pictures of clothes that I will never afford, crafts that I will never have time to do, perfect homes for which I don't dare hope, and bodies that won't be mine no matter how many miles I run.  I find myself wishing that I had more money, skinnier legs, or that one perfect outfit.  Facebook is perhaps less of a problem, because it's not just a sensory overload of beautiful images posted by people I will never meet, but I still found myself (when I had an account) envying my friends or the friends of friends who we all manage to stalk without having met.  My life suddenly wasn't as fulfilling as so-and-so's because he goes on more trips, she looks good in every picture, or that other girl must have way more fun than me because she goes to all those parties.  I didn't feel this way every time I was on Facebook, but a lot of the time I got on to innocently look at an upcoming event or peruse some pictures a friend posted from a recent game night, and by the time I logged out of Facebook I felt horrible about myself.  I would snap out of it pretty quickly, but the feeling was yucky while it lasted.

it is beautiful, but I will never own this room

I finally said "good riddance" and got rid of my Facebook account; I also don't plan on signing up for Pinterest.  I know that I miss out on things; there have been parties that I never made it to because I didn't get a "Facebook invite" or people who I didn't know were engaged until weeks after the fact.  And I know that people find a lot of really neat ideas on Pinterest.  These sites really can hold value if used properly.  When people ask me why I don't have an account on either site, I usually mumble something like "Too busy... don't want to waste my time."  But really, that's not totally true.  I have good self control, and I know how to manage my time.  But what I don't know how to fully manage is my envy.  Is this just me?