The social media myth that is #CoupleGoals

Today, let us delve into a social media hashtag that has led many astray and propagated a lie that gets stronger whenever two people take a photo together, Couple Goals.

You have seen it across all platforms, said it and probably received this "oh amazing" from complete strangers and probably wondered, who sat down and decided that the photo shared was worthy of the #CoupleGoals hashtag?

What’s the measure of a ‘’good’’ relationship? The so-called couple goals; Is it your significant other calling you every two hours while at work to check up on you? Is it a man who buys you a car for your birthday? (never mind the logbook might be in his name and you will know you don’t know – utajua hujui - when things go left in the relationship and the car is repossessed and quickly handed to your replacement.)

Is it a woman who cooks meals for her man, does his laundry and cleans his house (or gets it done by a mama fua)?

Celebrities and influencers have defined what “couple goals” should be on the Instagram streets, but is what is posted real and to be aspired to?

A celebrity posts a photo of herself crying while posing next to a German vehicle and captions it: “Thanks babe for the gift. Can your man even?”

After seeing such a post, one or four of her naïve followers picks their phone and calls their "bae" and demands to know why he never buys her anything nice and puts pressure on him to upgrade ASAP.

A celebrity was recently bashed for allegedly perennially receiving gifts but never using them, thus raising the question if the posts were mere photo ops.

In the most recent scenario, another couple that was considered “couple goals” is said to be going through it after the husband was accused of infidelity on several occasions. The couple has previously been seen as couple goals because of their flashy lifestyle and always sharing photos together with their teeth out like a Cheshire cat. There are photos and Instagram reels of the husband holding his wife's hand and waking her up in the morning with a cup of coffee, couple goals, the mysterious committee met and assigned them that precious, useless title.

However, the wife posted messages on her WhatsApp status that left her followers wondering if there is trouble in paradise which from the look of things was more hell with a paradise status photo.

You see, relationships are hard and one is not like another but social media has made it look like all you have to do is post as many photos together smiling and voila, you are a marriage guru.

Buying flowers is nice, cars even better, but the real life happens when the filters have been applied and the camera has been switched off.

You may have a caring partner who does not care for smiling photos or cannot afford a Range Rover or exotic destinations but now you want them to be stressed because one photo made you believe the strangers are living a better life than you.

Dream all you want, but wake up and understand that whatever you see on social media is not real life, it is the true "mambo ya ground ni different."

The couples posting photos of them in five-star resorts abroad, enjoying the “soft life” may be struggling with loans and infidelity that would make satan blush.

No, not all those sharing their lives with you are struggling, many are actually living the life and enjoying it together but even they shouldn't make you break your normal "OK" life to chase after some imagined shadows.

It is good to want better for yourself and your partner but lacking sleep because two you don't know have posted a picture holding hands is not it beloved.

Several people in relationships classified as couple goals have broken up after sharing their lavish lives on social media.

So is it worth aspiring to the fake couple goals set by these celebrities?

You be the judge.