There, I said it. And now it’s up to you to admit it.
I’ve been saying the quiet part out loud more often these days. Whether you want to believe it’s me or AI saying it, that’s for you to decide. Either way, I won’t lose sleep over it. I’ve never been the person to feel the need to seek validation from anyone. Believe what you want. I’m not here to be believed…I’m here to be honest.
Let’s face it, people only keep you around if you’re marketable now. That’s the truth no one wants to confront. I can’t wait to see how this backfires ten years from now, when the filters fade and the followers stop engaging. The masks will start slipping, and people won’t know how to be real anymore. The irony is that in a world more “connected” than ever, I’ve never seen so many people feel so alone.
Every day, I find myself a little more isolated than the day before, not because I don’t have people around, but because I refuse to perform in spaces that feel fake. I can’t fake comfort around people who wear their intentions like costumes. I crave connection that doesn’t need an audience. And maybe that’s why it feels harder and harder to “fit in.”
It’s strange, though. The more recognition I get, the more distant people become. It’s like success magnifies loneliness. I never asked for attention; it just found me. But in this digital, overly consumable age, being noticed can feel more like a burden than a blessing. Everyone sees the highlights, but no one stops to ask how you’re really doing.
People like me are searching for something real while the world around us is busy performing connection instead of living it. It’s exhausting watching everyone chase validation disguised as friendship. Likes and comments have replaced phone calls and check ins. Instead of asking, “How are you?” we scroll and assume. Instead of showing up, we double tap and move on.
I’ve watched so many “friends” fade away lately. Maybe they outgrew me, or maybe they were never really there to begin with. I could guess the reasons, but I’ve learned not to. Sometimes it’s better not to know. What hurts most isn’t the distance…it’s the realization that people who once claimed to care don’t even notice when you’re struggling.
The other day, I laughed because I felt another friend quietly drift away. But this time, I didn’t chase the why. I just accepted it. That’s the part that hurts the most, when you stop expecting people to stay. When the absence no longer surprises you.
And yet, I keep moving. I keep hoping that somewhere, real still exists. Because I believe it does. I believe genuine connection still lives in the spaces between screens, in late night talks, in shared silence, in the moments that never make it to social media.
Social media didn’t just kill genuine friendship, it chipped away at our personality, drive, creativity, love, hope, self esteem, and authenticity. It made expression a performance, and vulnerability a brand. But it doesn’t have to stay that way.
The power to change it starts with us being honest…with ourselves and with each other. Start showing up again.
Start calling people instead of watching their stories. Start listening without recording. Be real, even if it’s uncomfortable. Because if we don’t, social media won’t just kill friendship…”it’ll kill us, too.”
If you’re someone who’s been feeling that disconnect and craving something genuine again, I understand. I’ve been there. Let’s rebuild what’s real. Let’s rediscover how to connect without a screen between us.
Join me for a 1:1 Creative Direction Session, where we focus on authentic connection, real storytelling, and bringing your truth to life, on and off social media.
Because real still exists. You just have to look up to find it.
Hope this helps,
-B
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