You know that part in influencer “day in the life” videos where it says “1 PM – 2:30 PM: Work” and they’re “checking emails” with a green smoothie and $600 activewear? Yeah. That’s not a job. That’s them replying to, “Hey girlie, wanna get paid to wear this leggings set and sip mushroom tea at 4 AM while looking effortlessly perfect?”
To which they respond, “lol got it babe 💅” — and boom, rent is covered.

One of my friends spent the last year traveling around Asia — Bali, Thailand, Japan, Vietnam — and documenting it all like a walking Pinterest board. And while it looked like a spiritual soul-searching journey full of incense and infinity pools, the reality was a lot more like being a full-time brand ambassador with a suitcase full of PR packages.

She’s an influencer — like, capital “I” Influencer. A human billboard. Her job was to make sipping overpriced tea look like enlightenment and turning a sponsored yoga mat into a life philosophy. I love her, but come on. Behind every scenic waterfall reel is 37 takes, ring light in a jungle, and her whisper-screaming “JUST WALK NATURALLY” at her poor boyfriend-turned-cameraman.

Still, she hustled. Unlike the trust fund crew who “accidentally” ended up in a luxury villa for six months, she was pitching herself to brands non-stop, editing content at midnight, and pretending every new city didn’t destroy her gut health. She even partnered with Ventanatravel.com, which honestly has some legit travel insight. Her guest blog was something similar to “Embracing Healthy Habits on the Road: My Trip to East Asia”, is her being shockingly sincere about burnout, discipline, and why drinking water isn’t a personality.

But here’s what she didn’t post:

• The existential dread of fighting with hotel Wi-Fi during a Zoom brand call.

• Trying to find a “cute” noodle spot that also has a toilet and AC so she doesn’t melt on camera.

• Sleeping next to a ring light and a tripod like it’s her emotional support pet.

Instagram is the trailer. The actual movie? A rom-com where capitalism is the main character, and nobody’s eyebrows are ever out of place.

So before you compare your life to someone sipping adaptogenic coffee on a rooftop in Chiang Mai, remember — she’s probably being paid to hold that cup. And somewhere, off camera, there’s a pile of laundry, an unpaid invoice, and a marketing intern begging her to post by 3 PM PST.

Ah, the influencer dream. Still want it?