For several years, opening my social media as soon as I woke up was a toxic necessity. I feel like we all have experienced, at least once, the fear of missing out (FOMO) that essentially comes from the never-ending information being posted every second on the Internet. Add a dose of “comparing yourself to others” to this FOMO and you will likely end up suffering every time that you open social media, but still doing it because you need your daily shot of cruel reminders that you and your life are “not enough”. What if, instead of being a source of self-hatred and hidden violence, social media were a space where you could find kindness and happiness, a tool to help you grow and push forwards to reach your goals? Social media is not evil in itself. It is essentially the way we are encouraged to use it that makes it harmful. So here are some tips to help you transform your use of social media into a positive and fulfilling approach!
- Clean up your account and become aware of your intentions
No matter what kind of transformation process you wish to begin, it always implies questioning yourself. And for social media, the transformation starts with your account! Take some time to examine the content you are posting: do you like it? Does it make any sense to you? Are you satisfied with all your posts? What is your purpose when posting something? For most people, posting on social media has become a way to be seen and acknowledged; a means to exist, often by sharing shocking or fake content. Because let’s be honest, social media is where it all happens.
However, by taking some time to look back at your content and to reflect on the posts that you have made up until now, you will probably realise that some of them are no longer meaningful to you or were posted impulsively just for the sake of posting. Then, feel free to archive or to delete the posts you are less proud of and to give a fresh start to your account! For example, you could pick a new aesthetic, decide to share your passions or even to try to interact more with your followers. What I am trying to say is, we want to know you, the real you! Remember that social media is all about sharing, and that sharing should always be a source of growth both for you, the owner of the account, and for your followers. So, design your account with kindness, in a way that will make other people grow the exact same way you grow when you post about something you love!
- Make sure your comments are sincere
This will sound like an evidence for most of you but sometimes, fake comments hurt more than mean comments. So again, just make sure you make comments that are worth reading. Think of why you want the person to receive your comment and make sure your comment is something you would like to see under one of your posts. Expressing ideas, giving your opinion, and criticizing things is important and is a core aspect of social media, but the way you express your thoughts is twice as important! On top of sharpening your critical abilities, writing constructive comments will allow you to connect more easily with people you truly admire and will open doors for you that you would never have imagined; sometimes, a kind comment on a stranger’s picture could result in a wonderful friendship or adventure… Who knows? And the same goes for the likes. Nowadays, money comes from the number of likes and followers that people have, so use this power of expression wisely!
- Clear out the accounts you are following
The third step consists in clearing out the accounts you are following – not the most amusing part, I know. We click on the “Follow” button at least once a day, but unfollowing someone is much less common, and we often end up following people we are not even interested in. Try to unfollow any person you do not know or account that does not put a smile on your face when you see their posts. My personal advice for this part would also be to unfollow every person or account that make you feel unaccomplished, untalented, or unworthy of your dreams. It could be a celebrity that you are not a huge fan of, someone you are not friends with anymore and that reminds you of bad memories, etc. In short, any account that bothers you or brings negative thoughts into your mind. Finally, if you are not interested in the content they share or if you are only following a page because someone else told you to do so, then it is time to click that unfollow button. Always ask yourself why you follow people and what/how do you feel when you see their content. Once this cleaning session is over, you are ready to start browsing for new (positive) accounts!
- Rebuild a meaningful and positive network
After getting rid of the unnecessary, it is now time to find content that truly inspires you. Use the accounts you are still following to catch a glimpse of what kind of content you truly like to see. Ask yourself about your interests: is there a topic you would like to know more about? Do you want to learn a new language or skill but have never really taken the time to do so? What kind of posts make you smile? What kind of content makes you believe in yourself and in your dreams? Who would you like to have a real conversation with? Then, based on your answers, find accounts that provoke something inside of you!
To help you in your journey, here are a few suggestions of positive accounts that I particularly like:
- Les Belles Nouvelles (https://www.instagram.com/lesbellesnouvelles/) for those who are passionate about saving our wonderful planet.
- Selfcare visuals (https://www.instagram.com/selfcarevisuals/). Because you should never forget how beautiful and talented you are.
- Daylight illustrations ( https://www.instagram.com/daylightillustrations/)
- Scribed Stories (https://www.instagram.com/scribedstories/)
- The Remedy Farm (https://www.tiktok.com/@theremedyfarm?lang=en) for my fellow alpaca lovers.
- Courtney Jags (https://www.tiktok.com/@courtneyjags?lang=en). Her series “Things I like in this world” and her constant enthusiasm put a huge smile on my face every time I open Tik Tok.
- Justinaccessible (https://www.tiktok.com/@justinaccessible?lang=en).
Together, let’s all spread positivity and make social media a more welcoming and safe space!