LIFE

Dear Carol,

I can't help it. I get really jealous whenever I see other people's fun photos on Instagram. I think I'm leading a boring life. 

- Jealous

Dear Jealous,

It's best not to compare your insides with someone else's outsides. Like everyone else, I post happy vacation photos, but no one is happy or on vacation 24/7. Also, you say, "I can't help it," yet I'm afraid I disagree. We all have some control over our attitudes and emotions. If scrolling turns into compare-and-despair, put away your phone. Ask yourself, "What else could I be doing right now?" Then do it: Dive into a book, watch a movie, walk a dog, go for a run, bake a blueberry pie. School's over, so shake things up with or without friends. A picnic? A trip to a nearby city or lake? After sophomore year, a new BFF and I realized that we both had cousins in the same state, so we visited them—our first plane trip without parents. Can you explore volunteer or job options? Be friendly and polite and get the word out that you're smart and hardworking. Sometimes a friend of a friend or a neighbor or cousin can offer a key that may open an important door.

For more on Carol Weston, visit her website: carolweston.com, like her Facebook page or follow her on Instagram. To order Carol's newest book, Speed of Life, click here.

Still need advice? Read more Dear Carol below:
💌 Dear Carol, why are my friends obsessed with appearances?
💌 Dear Carol, should I accept my body as-is or try to 'fix' it?
💌 Dear Carol, I think I'm addicted to my phone!

We want to hear from you! Go here to submit questions to Carol about every sticky sitch life throws at you.

by GL | 6/21/2022