Social Media vs Reality: How to Stop Comparing Yourself to the Feed
We have all done it. Scrolling TikTok late at night, watching cinematic drone shots of turquoise waters and hidden waterfalls. Swiping through Instagram and seeing one perfect photo after another with nobody else in sight. Bingeing YouTube vlogs that make life on the road look like a movie.
It is easy to buy in. It is easy to build this idea in your head that your trip will look just like theirs. But here is the truth I have learned after years of traveling and creating content myself. Social media is not a diary. It is a highlight reel. It is also a marketplace. And if you do not understand that before you start chasing those images, you are setting yourself up for disappointment.
This is not about hating on creators. I create. I share. I edit. But I want you to travel with your eyes wide open.
Social Media Is a Business First
When you scroll, remember this: you are not just watching someone’s life. You are sitting in the middle of their storefront. Influencers are not just sharing their adventures, they are selling them. They are selling their lifestyle, their presets, their tour packages, their courses, their brand deals.
And here is the deeper layer people forget. We as users are also part of the product. Companies pay for access to us. Our data, our habits, our likes, our algorithm footprint, all of it is what keeps this massive machine running. It is a strange place to be when you are just looking for travel advice but also being advertised to and subtly nudged toward what makes someone else money.
There is nothing wrong with supporting someone you resonate with or buying something you truly believe in. Just do not assume it is all raw authenticity. Look at the character of the person first. Ask yourself if what they are sharing feels earned and honest, or if it is just polished to sell.
Everyone Shows Their Best Moments or do they?
Think about it. Social media is basically your life resume. You are not going to lead with your failures, your embarrassing moments, or the rough edges of your day. You are going to lead with your wins. The highlight reel. The best angle.
That said, there is also this strange new wave of people recording themselves in times of grief or struggle. They hit record while crying or talking about their hardships, not always as a way to genuinely process or connect, but because they know struggle can perform well and pull attention. It creates a false sense of intimacy and authenticity. Instead of being present in that moment or working through it in private, the pain itself becomes part of the performance.
So on one side you have the polished highlight reels. On the other side you have curated vulnerability that can be just as misleading. What you are left with is rarely the unfiltered truth of what life or travel is really like.
Of course people want you to see the perfection, or at least the version of themselves they want to be known for. And that is fine. Just keep it in mind when you scroll. Social media is not designed to give you a balanced picture. It is designed to make you feel something strong enough to keep you coming back.
Ask ChatGPT
The Overhype Is Real
That dreamy café you saw on TikTok? It might be half the size you thought and packed wall to wall with people holding phones in the air. That “hidden” beach might be a parking lot of tour buses by noon. That restaurant with the viral dish? It might serve something average once the camera is off.
Take everything you see with a grain of salt. A quick vertical video with fancy plating and soft background music is not a seal of approval. Look for people giving an actual in‑depth look into a location — what the service was like, what the atmosphere felt like, what they ordered beyond the most photogenic plate.
The Reality of Editing
Let me throw myself under the bus for a second. I edit my photos. Sometimes I spend hours tweaking them. I have removed people, clutter, and distractions from a frame. Why? Because when I am shooting, I already have an idea in my head of how I saw that moment and how I want it to feel.
A lot of us are chasing an aesthetic. Mine leans toward a modern film look. The colors and tones feel true to life but carry a slight vintage warmth. That is my art. But keep that in mind when you look at a photo online. What you are seeing is someone’s vision of a place, not necessarily exactly what it will look like when you stand there.
Nature itself is always shifting. Maybe I caught it at peak bloom season. Maybe the tide was unusually low. Maybe I was lucky with weather or light that day. There are countless variables that create an image, and most of them are out of your control.
How to Manage Your Expectations
Come into your trip with excitement for what could happen, not with a rigid expectation that it has to look like something you saw on a screen. Let your trip unfold. Let the surprises, the missteps, and the raw moments shape your story.
Talk to locals. Ask other travelers where they would go. Explore beyond the viral spots and carve out your own.
Practical Ways to sift through it
Read blogs and forums known for honesty, not just short form reels.
Ask locals the same question I always ask: “If your best friend was visiting, where would you take them?”
Visit popular spots early or late to see them without the crowds.
Wander without a plan. That is where the magic hides.
Final Thoughts
Social media is a powerful tool for inspiration. It has opened doors and sparked adventures for millions of people. But it is not a blueprint for reality.
Many creators are building a narrative to sell, not necessarily to tell. Be inspired by their work, appreciate their creativity, but do not let it blind you to the real experience waiting for you.
Travel is not meant to be perfect. It is meant to be real. And it is the messy, unpredictable, unscripted parts that will stay with you long after the trip ends.
Happy exploring. May your adventures be as authentic and unforgettable as the stories you bring home.
