Sometimes when you’re scrolling through your social media, it can feel like you’re being bombarded by people living perfect lives. But what you are seeing isn’t necessarily the truth.

When people use different social media, they are choosing snapshots of their lives to share with everyone else.

People post photos of their amazing holidays, their great jobs, achievements they’ve received and presents or new “things” they have bought.

Seeing these “Posts” can make you filled with jealousy, generally followed by guilt or sadness.

The thing is, these “Posts” are generally not the whole reflection of their lives. They are snapshots creating a “Highlight Reel” on your social media feed. People don’t take photos of their worst moments, but rather, they take photos of the moments they are filled with joy or pictures that will help them get the most ‘likes’.

It is only human to want more than what we have. We see what others have, this life that others live and think “Hey, I want that too!”. But remember, what you are seeing is their carefully edited “Highlight reel”. You don’t see their battles, their challenges, and their failures.

As Theodore Roosevelt famously said – “Comparison is the thief of joy.”

How you feel is valid. However, it doesn’t matter what other people’s lives “look like”. Your life has its own highs and hows and they are YOURS. Be kind to yourself and remember that social media isn’t reality.

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If you need help remember you can access Kids Helpline on 1800 55 1800 and many other services from the post on Livewire Online Here (you need to be logged into the community for the link to work).

Quiz Master Mel, the Quiz Master extraordinary will be hosting one of her spectacular quizzes on the first Tuesday of every month.

Do you fancy yourself a pop culture, entertainment, movies and TV gossip ‘know-it-all’?? Well this is the quiz to put that to the test!

Keep an eye out on when the next quiz will take place and see if you can beat Quiz Master Mel at her own game, or just pop in and say hi – she’d love to see you!

Join us at 6.30 pm on the first Tuesday of the month for your chance to win an awesome prize!

Good luck!

Haven’t heard of the Office of the eSafety Commissioner? You’re not alone! A lot of people don’t know it exists. But they should. The eSafety Commissioner provides a fantastic service that everyone on the internet should be aware of.

We like to think of Livewire as the safest place on the internet, so there’s no bullying or nastiness here. Unfortunately, not every social media site has the same rules as we do (nor do they have the same awesome chat hosts, guides, and mentors!). And sometimes the nastiness on social media can get out of hand. Being bullied, harassed, stalked or threatened online is awful. Depending on the interaction, it can also be illegal. There is something you can do about it, and somewhere you can reach out for help.

The Office of the eSafety Commissioner’s purpose is to ensure that people have safe, positive experiences online, and that everyone understands that you should behave just as respectfully online as you would in real life. Their website is filled with useful information and resources, and is a good place to start for help if you or someone you know is being harassed online.

The Office of the eSafety Commissioner also runs a complaints service where you can report cyberbullying and get something done about it. The eSafety Commissioner has relationships with a lot of social media sites, including FaceBook, Twitter and Instagram. If they decide a post is cyberbullying, they can have it removed from the social network it’s posted on. They can also have photos removed that have been shared without your permission, especially if they are of a sensitive nature.

So, if you are being bullied online and need help, here’s some steps you can take to make sure things are sorted out quickly and fairly:

• Take screenshots. And copy the URL’s of offending posts. Keep a record every time something happens.
• Complain to the social media service where the bullying is occuring. Lots of platforms like FaceBook and Twitter have a zero tolerance stance on cyberbullying and will remove reported content as soon as possible.
• Complain to the eSafety Commissioner If the social media site you have complained to doesn’t act quickly enough or refuses to help, or you feel like you need more help, contact the eSafety Commissioner, either online or by phone. They will get the ball rolling on having content removed and support you where you need it.
• Take care of yourself. Contact Kids Helpline or Headspace for further support and if you need to talk things through. Bullying hurts and it’s almost always a big deal. Don’t be afraid to ask for help.

The Internet is a huge place- it’s nice to know there are people on your side who can help out. Don’t be afraid to reach out. And stay safe out there, peeps.