TODAY, over eight billion people are living in our world. In the last 75 years, the world’s population has nearly tripled in size, and its growth does not seem to be stopping anytime soon. This sudden increase in population has undoubtedly created constraints on the quality of life for individuals all over the world. There is increasing competition for resources, opportunities, and even living space. In fact, because we no longer seem to have enough space on the earth to build our cities, we have taken to constructing our homes and workplaces upwards, towards the sky. We have even begun searching for other planets where we might live! Due to the increasing population, society itself has changed and adopted new characteristics.

We have transformed into a global village where even individuals on opposite sides of the world can interact and become close friends. This novel sense of connection means that our words and actions now carry more weight. They have the potential to impact larger numbers of people in a much deeper manner. Of course, this fact sparks discussions about the nature of platforms such as social media and the responsibilities borne by those who use them. However, there is another problem that we are beginning to observe as a generation due to this strange interconnectedness.

We have begun to experience social anxiety at much higher levels.
Social anxiety stems from the fear of being judged by others in the same unfortunate manner that we have learned to judge ourselves. We slowly and unknowingly become afraid of our own spontaneity and uniqueness. As a result, we attempt to reduce ourselves to a curated and somewhat one-dimensional version in order to fit our own unrealistic standards. If we continuously do this during the time when we ought to be defining our identity, it cements a sense of uncertainty within us. After all, the pictures and videos we see of “perfect” people are only snapshots of their lives. Can you imagine what we would lose if we were to reduce our entire personalities to the depth of a single snapshot?

Growth is extraordinarily spontaneous. Each human being grows at different rates and at different times in their lives. Growth looks different for each of us, and we all make our own mistakes as we undergo it. With the advent of this technological era, we are constantly comparing our journeys with those of people all over the world. Pieces of our lives are often shared with millions of strangers in exchange for their opinions on our unique journeys. This means that when we interact with people in the real world, we operate under the impression that they, too, are judging us. Without even realising it, we have become unhappy with who we are and how far we have come, simply because we see others experiencing life differently.

Sometimes, real people may stumble over their words when they speak. Real people might have messy hair or crinkled clothes. Real people do not always meet their goals every time they try. Real people might not feel extraordinarily happy all the time. None of these facts make a person deserving of judgement or shame.

We are all like raindrops falling into the ocean. We are powerful enough to create ripples when we meet our destination. Ultimately, however, we are indistinguishable from the eight billion other raindrops that are travelling their own paths at the same time. The features or qualities about ourselves that cause us insecurity and anxiety are rarely noticeable to others, much less judged by them. Moreover, you are more than the feature that you judge yourself so harshly for. You are a human being who is loved, who inspires others, and who is constantly evolving.

Perhaps the key to unlocking an anxiety-free life is learning to see people as more than just a pair of eyes. Learn to see them as individuals who, like you, are experiencing life and its magnificent ability to change a heart and connect two people with something as seemingly simple as a smile. Learn to accept that all of us are perfectly imperfect—and that is why we are so beautiful in the first place.