You just had the best day. You aced your history test. You wore your new hoodie. And Dad made your favorite dinner: chicken Parmesan. You kick back on the couch, happy, and check your phone.

    Then the doubt creeps in.

    Sarah posted on Instagram: Guess who aced her history AND science tests?! 

    Max sent you a Snap of his #OOTD. It’s the same hoodie you have . . . plus the matching sweatpants.

    And Omar made a TikTok. He’s having dinner at that cool new pizza place you’ve been dying to try.

    Suddenly, your awesome day starts to feel sort of blah. Does this sound familiar? 

    You had the best day. You aced your history test. You wore your new hoodie. Your dad made your favorite dinner. You sit on the couch. You check your phone. You’re happy.

    Then the doubt creeps in.

    Sarah posted on Instagram: Guess who aced her history AND science tests?!

    Max sent you a Snap of his #OOTD. It’s the same hoodie you have. And he has the matching sweatpants.

    Omar made a TikTok. He’s at the new pizza place you want to try.

    Your day no longer feels awesome. It feels sort of blah. Does this sound familiar?

    You just had the best day. You aced your history test, you wore your new hoodie, and Dad made your favorite dinner: chicken Parmesan. You kick back on the couch, happy, and check your phone.

    Then the doubt creeps in.

    Sarah posted on Instagram: Guess who aced her history AND science tests?!

    Max sent you a Snap of his #OOTD. It’s the same hoodie you have . . . plus the matching sweatpants.

    And Omar made a TikTok of himself having dinner at that cool new pizza place you’ve been dying to try.

    Suddenly, your awesome day starts to feel sort of blah. Does this sound familiar?

    Did you answer yes? If so, you’re not alone. Comparing ourselves to other people is normal. Experts say humans have been doing it for thousands of years.

    During ancient times, people often solved their problems by watching other people. To be a better hunter, you might watch others. Were they using different tools? Were they hunting in different areas? Comparison was a way to learn and grow.

    In the 1950s, a psychologist named Leon Festinger named this behavior. He called it the social comparison theory. Today, experts say social comparison is an important part of growing up.

    It can inspire you to try new things. It can help you find people with the same interests.

    If you answered yes, you’re not alone. In fact, comparing ourselves to other people is normal. Scientists say humans have been doing it for thousands of years.

    During ancient times, people often watched how others handled things to help solve their own problems. For example, comparing your hunting skills with a neighbor’s could help you become a better hunter. Were they using different tools—or maybe hunting in different locations? Comparison was a way to learn and grow.

    In the 1950s, a psychologist named Leon Festinger found a way to describe this behavior. He called it the social comparison theory—and today, experts say social comparison is an important part of growing up.

    It can inspire you to try new things, and it can help you make friends by identifying people with interests similar to yours.

    But now the world is dominated by social media. Apps like TikTok and Instagram give us a constant look into other people’s lives.

    We can watch our favorite YouTubers eat breakfast. We can follow along as our friends shop or go on trips.

    There’s just one problem: We’re not getting the full picture.

    Sophia Choukas-Bradley is a psychologist. She studies teens and social media. “Online, everyone is posting highlight reels of their best selves,” she says. “If someone only posts themselves socializing, it can feel like they’re more popular than you.”

    Marlo Arend can relate. She’s 12. Before starting seventh grade, she often felt anxious. She and her friends watched #GetReadyWithMe videos. She liked seeing the clothing and the skin care routines.

    But she also felt jealous. And the worse she felt, the more time she spent scrolling.

    “I remember watching videos of people who I thought had better lives than me,” Marlo says. “Being on social media started to make me feel really tired.”

    But in a world dominated by social media, we have to be careful because comparing ourselves to others can get complicated—fast. Apps like TikTok and Instagram give us something humans never had before: a constant look into other people’s lives.

    At any time of day, we can watch our favorite YouTubers eat breakfast. We can also follow along as our friends go shopping or live stream their vacation.

    There’s just one problem: We’re not getting the full picture.

    Sophia Choukas-Bradley is a psychologist who studies teens and social media. “Online, everyone is posting highlight reels of their best selves,” she explains. “If someone only posts themselves socializing, it can feel like they’re more popular than you.”

    Marlo Arend, 12, can relate. Before starting seventh grade, she often felt anxious. When she hung out with friends, they watched #GetReadyWithMe videos. Although Marlo enjoyed seeing vloggers share their clothing hauls and skin care routines, she also found herself feeling jealous.

    And the worse she felt, the more time she spent scrolling.

    “I remember watching videos of people who I thought had better lives than me,” Marlo says. “Being on social media started to make me feel really tired.”

    So what can we do to stop comparing ourselves?

    Marlo decided to start taking social media breaks. When she feels down, she stays away from certain apps—just for a few days. 

    Instead of scrolling, she plays with her cats. She hangs out with friends and does art projects. “After breaks, I feel calmer and happier,” she says. 

    Choukas-Bradley also suggests asking yourself: What am I looking for on social media? The answer can help you edit your feed. You can choose to mute people who make you feel bad. You can also follow more accounts that lift you up and inspire you.

    “Social media is not going anywhere,” Choukas-Bradley says. “It’s important to figure out how to use it in a healthier way.” 

    So how can we stop comparing ourselves?

    Marlo takes social media breaks. Some days, she feels down. When that happens, she stays off certain apps for a few days.

    Instead, she plays with her cats. She hangs out with friends. She does art projects. “After breaks, I feel calmer and happier,” she says.

    Choukas-Bradley has another tip. Ask yourself: What am I looking for on social media? The answer helps you edit your feed. You can mute people who make you feel bad. You can follow more accounts that inspire you.

    “Social media is not going anywhere,” Choukas-Bradley points out. “It’s important to figure out how to use it in a healthier way.”

    So what can we do to stop comparing ourselves?

    Marlo decided to start taking social media breaks. Now, when she’s feeling down, she stays away from certain apps—just for a few days.

    Instead of scrolling, she plays with her cats, hangs out with friends, or does art projects. “After breaks, I feel calmer and happier,” she notes.

    Choukas-Bradley also suggests you ask yourself: What am I looking for on social media? The answer could help you edit your feed to mute people who make you feel unhappy and follow more accounts that lift you up and inspire you.

    “Social media is not going anywhere,” Choukas-Bradley asserts. “It’s important to figure out how to use it in a healthier way.” 

_{Thank you to our experts Kimberly Alexander, Psy.D., clinical psychologist at the Child Mind Institute, and Mitch Prinstein, Ph.D., chief science officer of the American Psychological Association, for their help with this story.}

_{Thank you to our experts Kimberly Alexander, Psy.D., clinical psychologist at the Child Mind Institute, and Mitch Prinstein, Ph.D., chief science officer of the American Psychological Association, for their help with this story.}

_{Thank you to our experts Kimberly Alexander, Psy.D., clinical psychologist at the Child Mind Institute, and Mitch Prinstein, Ph.D., chief science officer of the American Psychological Association, for their help with this story.}