While it is true that swimming for exercise is good for your health and body, it does not mean you will get a swimmer's body. Rather, swimmers naturally have bodies that allow them to be good at swimming. Blame genetics if you will.
However, this fallacy applies anywhere from physical appearance to mental and emotional wellness. It is a common tactic used in advertising when they make a promise that if you do x or y, or buy this and that, you will be able to achieve the physique of your dreams, you will have better digestion or you will feel better.
Natural selection is generally not considered.
And nowhere is this fallacy more perpetuated than in the world of social media and lifestyle influencers. This includes people who use their naturally given bodies, looks, and wellness, to make others believe that they too can be like them if only they do a certain routine, buy a certain course, and follow them, among other hoops.
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But it is not always about physical appearance.
Mental and emotional wellness
Research shows that some people have a natural disposition for certain emotional and mental experiences. It is estimated that your genes make up to 40 per cent of your ability to be happy. This is not even factoring in your circumstances and environment, which could bring that ability much lower or higher.
It is important to remember that some, or most, of these lifestyle and wellness influencers don't do this out of malice or intentionally. Yes, some of them put in effort, but you cannot out-effort every challenge in life. Sometimes you have to realise what you are best selected for.
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This is true especially if the advice you are following is more detrimental to your well-being than helpful. It is not easy to discern what we are naturally selected for, and this can make it a bit hard.
This is not to discourage following the advice. It is about separating the advice from the results. Working out is good for your health, but doing it solely to get eight-pack abs like your favourite influencer can be damaging to you. Skincare is good for your self-care routine and body positivity, but chasing your favourite influencer's skin goals may not be good for your self-care and body positivity.
Support your influencers by all means but charter your own wellness and well-being.