Does it ever irk you that influencers get all these things for free that we have to work so hard for? Sponsored trips/business class flights, fancy resorts, champagne sent to their rooms, all types of workout classes and gym memberships, free products. It’s hard to see them in these beautiful places constantly on vacation when I’m glued to my screen. I can’t help but feel jealous and I know this isn’t healthy

They also need to work really really hard to get to the abundant sponsorship level. No one gives free stuff to a self proclaimed influencers with 400 followers

Any time you feel jealousy, take it as inspiration instead of irritation. Try it and you’ll gain new perspective. I used to be an avid photographer (and a very good one), but at some point I realized how much “life” it was costing me…carrying around heavy equipment, waking up extra early for the right light, never really experiencing the moment because I was focused on getting the best pictures. I have gorgeous photos on my walls that I barely notice now. These days I travel with an iPhone mini and drink everything in rather than constantly “working.” I am happier now because I appreciate how free I am of that burden.

So become an influencer if you want all that free stuff? Getting there takes skill.

What makes you think they aren’t working?

Love all the self righteous people on here saying you shouldn’t be jealous. It’s normal for humans to be jealous of things they want when others get them so easily (at least from our perspective, we don’t see the work that goes on behind the scenes).
FWIW “influencing” didn’t exist as a job 3-5 years ago, and I’m guessing it will look totally different 3-5 years from now (why pay an influencer when AI can do it for free). So we’re going to have a lot of unskilled, out of work former influencers who will be jealous of people with technical skills.

I get these things too - I travelled to Italy for work and the firm agreed to fly my wife out if I stayed for a month. The flights were business class and the trip was “sponsored.” I’ve used my mariott points dozens of times for fancy resorts and because of my status, I get free water all the time 😂 workout classes are free too as long as the hotel we stay in doesn’t have a gym. I just got a free vest. our life isn’t hard.

If it bugs you don't watch. The whole point is to make you jealous and to want what they have.

The fact that you are seeing it means you are funding their free items with your eyeballs. If you want to reject the societal cancer of influencer culture then you can unfollow and block - and your mental health will probably improve a lot too, speaking from experience.

I just came to say i also feel this and sometimes i get tempted to make my dog an influencer 😂

But you’re making money, which is much more valuable than free shit. Would you rather make close to nothing or have your take home pay be extremely variable and volatile but get random free stuff, or get a good salary to spend on whatever you want? Hours worked is another factor in this but I’d bet a lot of money than if you divide out your hourly rate and compare it to an influencer’s, you’d be head and shoulders above them. Their ROI is much less, and they’re not choosing what brands send them so they dont have that much flexibility or control over their “bonuses” - like a sales person who gets their variable comp only in free swag and sponsored trips and not cash. You can’t actually live on that