Are We As Happy As Our FB Profile Photo?! – Personal Experiences

Well after a long time, it looks like I have a profile picture to be really proud of :D. He he, all thanks to facebook and watsapp or else I doubt if we would have these many profile pictures of ours.

Anyways, the photo actually got me thinking, what is really behind that smile. I mean I have seen thousands of photographs, thousands of smiles and wondered how come people seem so happy all the time. Maybe they are pretending! :D . Food for thought isn’t it?

I would really like to coin myself as a happy person. Always as happy as the one in this photograph appears to be. Although I know that there are some really pretty faces who can actually smile better :D . But I guess I will stick with my smile, atleast for the time being.

Now, back to the topic, what makes us tick, what makes us smile? I have given all those text book answers of what makes me smile –

– Unexpected kindness of a stranger

– Waking up to a beautiful sunrise

– Listening to the song I love the most

– Helping old people or serving at an NGO

My god! I feel that I am boring myself and you when I am writing these things. So let me tell you the truth, there are those small things that make me really happy – looking at a photograph of myself like this, all those emotions behind this photograph, scoring all the challenges in the new cricket game I installed, the moment a pretty girl looks at me as an acknowledgement that even I too can be looked at, if not for my looks, atleast for the smile – or maybe a funny hat on my head, I will still take it as a look and shamelessly feel good about it :D

Point is – all along the theory has taught us to be happy only when something great happens, something noteworthy happens. The moment we look at a photograph or even our own achievements of the past, the first things that come to mind are the mistakes we have done and how we wish our lives would have been without these mistakes.

But the truth is, we are this only because of our mistakes. For once I feel a bit secure about myself on a photo cos I really know what feeling insecure means and I know how it feels to research a photograph to find a small mole or a pimple and feel bad about it. Cos it is simple, the society has taught us to appreciate perfection and yet we all love the most imperfect things in the world. Kinda hypocritical don’t you think?

Well, I think I have rambled enough and I am trying to figure out the moral of this post. Well here are a few things

– Not all people are as happy as they seem on FB. So please don’t even for a second feel insecure or bad comparing to them

– A photo is just a photo, it is more valuable for the emotions it entails than the way it looks to the external world. Having said that I won’t put up an ugly photo of mine of FB, I am narcissistic too :P

– The smiles and what we feel about those moments go a long way as opposed to what others feel about it.

And for once, the photo is not really about others and how they perceive it, it really is about you and how you perceive.

Well! That’s my gyaan for the day, maybe for myself. But I would still love to hear what you think about this incessant rambling :D


22 thoughts on “Are We As Happy As Our FB Profile Photo?! – Personal Experiences”

  1. Lancelot Quadras

    Vinay, what every person perceives is different and not in our control.. But i really liked your topic.. Very unusual. Also we can find happiness almost everywhere… We just need to find it.. :)

  2. So true Vinay. Happiness is something from within and not externally driven.

  3. Thank you Gowthama. Something about this photo made me get to writing and I just remember my friend sitting next to me as I was typing. Took about 15-20 mins, so the post is kinda as real as what I felt about it at that moment, cos I did not have enough time to think :D .. I am happy to know that you liked the post this much :).. Its a wonderful compliment indeed..

  4. I am sure you will make it count Bindu.. good luck and we will be here through the journey, very happy to help in any small way we can :)

  5. He he.. Thank you Maniparna :). You know, of late I had seen so much of fuss being made about the FB or watsapp pics that it kept me wondering. It doesn’t just happen wiht the teenagers alone, even people in their 50-60’s. Well I don’t blame them! Everyone wants to look good :)
    He he thank you :).. Even I loved this picture, I think I have good some really good clicks of myself the last month. Enough to last about my entire life time of profile photos I guess :D :D

  6. Indeed Matheikal. I think we were just having a great time when this picture was taken. About 6 of us gathered together for a heavy pizza dinner and eating beyond what our stomachs could take :D :)

  7. Thank you Ravish. The photo credit goes to Miyu Konama and my latest trip to UK :)..

    And as for the blog looks, there is only one blog guru I would listen to at ease – Alok :)

  8. The best would be to use a photo taken unawares and yet is liked by one. It would reveal one’s personality quite sincerely.

  9. Hehe..I really loved your gyaan on this. Happiness doesn’t exude itself through facebook photos… it depends on how we perceive it…

    Happiness is also a relative thing isn’t it? I would love to read your views on it some day.

    And, you’re really looking happy in this new picture… :-D a nice click… :-)

  10. LOW AIM IS A CRIME

    Thanks for the reply Vinay. Yeah I am trying my best to make a difference.Lets hope for the best Vinay

  11. Gowthama Rajavelu

    “the photo is not really about others and how they perceive it, it really is about you and how you perceive” beautiful post Vinay, loved this line in particular. I am simply moved by this post Vinay. A big thumbs up for you.

  12. Thank you Bindu :).. It is refreshing to see your comments here.
    I am happy that you like the post and I love this photo, kinda brings out a good smiling side of me which I don’t seem to flaunt much often :D ..

    I guess we all do that Bindu, I mean things do hurt us and we all like our lives to be at its best. But yeah sometimes the events get to us and makeus wonder about our lives and also feel scared as to where we are heading. That will always be there no matter what we do.

    What sets us apart is the way we handle our lives. I read somewhere – It takes a greater soul to feel more happy and less sad. Happiness like everything else, finally boils down to a choice.
    Hope studies are going great Bindu, I am sure you are going to make a difference.

  13. LOW AIM IS A CRIME

    First of all you look very pleasant in this picture my mentor.An awesome post to think over. Vinay as I rightly pointed by you we are taught to be happy only when something good happens.Same with my case too.But in the past months happiness of mine has reduced to larger extent that most of the time I keep grumbling upon.Anyways I’ll try my best that I develop the habit of being happy for small things which we love to do.Thank you so much for the awesome post Vinay

  14. He he he :D .. Indeed Kokila, Indeed :)..

    That’s a beautiful feeling Kokila – being happy without a reason. I don’t think many people can do that. And I don’t even know up to what extent I can do that. Although I like to define myself as a happy person, I realize that I have a long way to go to get there :).

    He he he he :D . I know what the PS is getting at :D :)

  15. Thank you Mayuresh, It is such a nice feeling to see your thoughts on my posts here.Each time I make a post, I kinda look forward to hearing from you and each time it brings out a smile on my face. Thanks so much mate :) .

    Would love to hear every one of those words and thoughts Mayuresh. As for my writing skill, I still remember the first article I wrote – it was pathetic, it easily took me about an hours time and all I could write was about 200 words. And today if I look back, I still feel that it looks like an article written by someone else, as in I don’t even feel like acknowledging it. I guess that is the great skill about getting better at something, keeping at it shamelessly :D .. And I think that is what I do – I keep writing shamelessly.

    And today to know that I am being appreciated to this level is such an honor indeed :).. Thank you so much Mayuresh :)

  16. So right Vinay … FB or any profile are just to make me feel ” achhaa…. i can be like this too :P ” Yes happiness is something Entirely alien to pics and updates. For me I am happy when I am feeling happy without any reason .
    Having said that nice books, nice weather, nice people,nice sleep nice kids ….. definitely make up to an extent :D
    PS . Love certainly adds colors to site..er..life …:D :)

  17. Even I feel happy after doing those small things, In fact unexpected kindness of stranger makes me think for days about that person…..After reading you article I really have lot to think and to say… but always get short of words…
    You surely have great writing skill..I always dreamt for such skill…but never could….
    But still try to…learning from people like you…..

  18. Thank you Shreya :).. It is lovely to hear from you, such great words.. I shall certainly try and keep more interesting stuff coming in. If you have any suggestions or thoughts as to how I can make things more interesting, please let me know. I will be happy to incorporate..

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