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'Comparison is the thief of joy' event next week

Edwards, 33, of Minneapolis knows her posts may paint a life of glamour to her followers, but she's intentionally lifting the veil, giving followers a real glimpse beyond the veneer of social media.

MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. -- Scroll through Sarah Edwards’ Instagram and see her creative footprint far and wide, whether she is running her small marketing company, or making her mark from the runway as the co-founder of Fashion Week Minnesota. The style maven has made giving her priority platform, with her "I AM" philanthropy events.

Edwards, 33, of Minneapolis knows her posts may paint a life of glamour to her followers, but she’s intentionally lifting the veil, giving followers a real glimpse beyond the veneer of social media.

“The reality is, I work too much. I have severe, severe anxiety depression. I am ridiculously sensitive, that is part of the struggle sometimes,” said Edwards. “Don’t get me wrong, I'm so grateful, but I get home at the end of the day, and ask myself, what kind of job could I have where I don't have to be on social media?”

Why Edwards is adding a new mission to her life’s work, creating space on the internet to talk about the comparison fueled by social media, and how it jeopardizes mental health and happiness.

She’s hosting an event next week called “Comparison is the thief of joy” after connecting with that very quote from Theodore Roosevelt.

“It struck me. This is something said a long time ago but thinking of the world we live in with social media, and this constant comparison, I want to scream it to the top of my lungs to everybody as it has helped me remember how to be happy,” said Edwards.

Her event, at The Lynhall, Thursday, July 31, will feature a few prominent Minneapolis leaders who will share tips, tricks and some vulnerable stories about how they find self-worth in the day and age of social media.

Edwards herself has been embraced by her followers after sharing her struggles with a recent divorce, along with anxiety and depression.

“I was really nervous to share that, but I guess my goal is to be real and let people know no matter what their life looks like through the lens of social media, they are struggling too, and help people know we are kind of all in this together and struggling in big ways and small ways,” said Edwards.

To cope, Edwards strives to disconnect, find solitude, trade social media for face-to-face interaction, and most of all her antidote for comparison is not in any post - it's scrolling deep within.

“When you wake up in the morning, first thing you have to do before you brush your teeth or anything is love yourself. I know that can sound cheesy, but if you start from a place of self-love, it can affect how you live your day,” she said. “I don’t have all the answers and I’m searching for them, just know when we are mindlessly scrolling, half of that stuff is not real.”

Learn more about her “Comparison is the thief of joy” event here, a community conversation hosted by Bumble.

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