Social Comparison May Lead To Depressive Symptoms. These Mantras Are Here To Alleviate That.

We all realize that social media is basically a highlight reel -- but just because we know that our newsfeed is often an ostentatious representation of real life, that doesn't mean we don't willingly watch the charade.

It's incredibly common to feel inadequate or sad about our own lives after a few minutes of social-media scrolling. Studies show that Facebook can cause feelings of depression and loneliness. And now, new research might have some insight as to why: All that social comparison we're doing.

A new study published in the Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology found that comparing our lives to the "fabulous" ones we see on social media may be what causes the depressive symptoms associated with Facebook browsing. So it's not necessarily the website that's causing those negative emotions, but the comparisons we make in our heads as a result of the content we see.

Teddy Roosevelt once said "comparison is the thief of joy." Our high school friend's relationship looks better than our relationship. Our roommate's vacation seems way more epic than the one we took last month. Our sister's life is infinitely more organized and "together" than our own.

We're here to be Bruno Mars and offer you a little reminder: You're magnificent exactly as you are.

Research shows that self-acceptance is key to a happier life, but it's a habit we rarely practice. To offer an antidote, we came up with a few self-affirming mantras that are helping us to reinforce our unique individuality. Take a look at them when you feel a moment of weakness after checking your newsfeed -- because you're awesome and you deserve to hear it.

This GPS Guide is part of a series of posts designed to bring you back to balance when you're feeling off course.

GPS Guides are our way of showing you what has relieved others' stress in the hopes that you will be able to identify solutions that work for you. We all have de-stressing "secret weapons" that we pull out in times of tension or anxiety, whether they be photos that relax us or make us smile, songs that bring us back to our heart, quotes or poems that create a feeling of harmony or meditative exercises that help us find a sense of silence and calm. We encourage you to visit our other GPS Guides here, and share with us your own personal tips for finding peace, balance and tranquility.