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How I Found Contentment In An Imperfect Life

Self-acceptance isn’t about becoming someone new, but about embracing who I’ve been all along.

Matt Lillywhite
Publishous
5 min readNov 25, 2024

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A man smiling on a fall day with blurred trees in the background. Image licensed via IStockPhoto.

It’s 5 o’clock in the morning. Grabbing my phone, I watch motivational Instagram videos for several hours. Each one has an uplifting message to motivate me to work, hustle, and grind. Yet, despite the pep talks and promises of success, I feel unmoved, as there’s a void of imperfection that won’t go away.

Self-doubt fills my mind like an unwanted guest. “You’re not good enough,” it says. “And you’ll never be successful.”

I bow my head in shame and continue to scroll through my Instagram feed. Each video I watch, whether it’s people laughing on sunny beaches, sipping wine on private jets, or visiting exotic destinations around the world, reminds me of everything I lack. No matter how hard I try to ignore negative thoughts, social media constantly reminds me of my own shortcomings.

I’m not the only person whose mental health has been negatively affected by social media. According to a study published by the UK Government, “Increased stress, anxiety, poor self-esteem, depression, behavior disorders, and poor progress at school have been linked to excessive use of social media. Research shows a clear association between time spent on social…

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Matt Lillywhite
Matt Lillywhite

Written by Matt Lillywhite

Full-time storyteller, part-time procrastinator. Writing to inspire, entertain, and avoid doing laundry. Substack: https://mattlillywhite.substack.com/subscribe

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