Why We Need to Stop Lifestyle Shaming

So today might be a post that gets some agreement or some of you shaking their head, but it’s something I’ve observed for a long time now and I feel it needs to be addressed. We as a society seem to want to shame others for their lifestyle simply because it doesn’t align with our own morals and values. And it’s starting to make a lot of us paranoid, even me. And I rarely get paranoid so that’s how I knew this was a big deal. IF you don’t know what I’m talking about let me explain…

Someone (someone who seems to be overall living an average healthy lifestyle of movement and eating) happens to upload a photo of something they’re eating to social media. Maybe it’s a soda, a donut, or a cupcake. In the comments you find someone trying to educate them on how unhealthy it is. Did they ask for your input? Did they ask you for the guilt and shame your comment may bring? NO! So don’t offer it. Unsolicited advice is something that can really upset people.

Another example is if someone posts about some sort of meat dish they eat. I totally support my vegan and vegetarian friends, but I do not need you to comment underneath my burger with why you’re a vegan. I get it. I can learn more if I can go to your page. Let me eat my damn burger.

Then you have the people that post to social media casting judgement and criticism towards parents that EVER let their child eat fast food. They must not have friends like mine…. Hardworking mothers and father that are constantly rushing around to different sports practices and their own errands and household chores and God forbid one night a week they may be too drained to cook so they stop and get fast food for everyone. LET US ALL LIVE!!! You don’t know what other people are dealing with.

Or maybe it’s the constant shaming of people that don’t buy organic and are “killing themselves with chemicals”. Well I’m sorry but some of those people are struggling to even put a bag of chips in their child’s lunch for the next two weeks so shame on them for not being able to drive all over town to get the freshest produce from local farmers.

The point is – everyone needs a break. I got to the point where before posting anything on social media I was like, oh boy, is this photo of my dinner going to receive unsolicited advice? Yea, I eat meat, sometimes I eat junk food, I don’t always wash my hair every other day, I often don’t wash my hands before I eat, and you know what…I’m alive and I’m thriving to the best of my abilities so just let me be. LETTTT MEEEE LIVEEEEEEE.

I totally support my friends no matter where they are in life, but I always remind them to please refrain from disagreeing with my opinion on my own posts. Opinions are never right or wrong, so it’s pointless to try to argue over them. If you feel strongly about something, post about it on YOUR OWN PAGE. No need to start a comment war with 800 notifications when I wake up in the morning and GASP by the way, when I wake up, I don’t do yoga or take 5 minutes to myself, and that’s okay. My life is still going good and I’m still doing things right for me. We don’t need to conform to what other people do and we shouldn’t expect them to conform to what we do.

You don’t know what is going on in ANYONE’S life so be kind, be gentle, and be understanding.

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