If you’re anything like me and have a love-hate relationship with social media, this one’s for you. Social media can be extremely overwhelming at times, and it’s really easy to get caught up in never-ending scrolling. My constant struggle is to either post something or delete the app entirely. There’s no in-between. However, I’m finally finding a middle ground and peace with the internet, so here’s some tips I’ve learned along the way. At the end of the day, there’s no wrong or right way to go about this; you just have to figure out what works best for you.
- It’s Okay to take breaks
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Social media is addictive, and it’s hard to put your phone down, but don’t be afraid to take breaks! I think it’s extremely important, whether it’s one day, a week, or even months, to step away from social media and give yourself a break. It’s so easy to get lost trying to keep up with everyone, but none of that will disappear when you decide to come back to it. I promise. As someone who has given social media many, MANY breaks, it’s actually so relieving not having to constantly worry about what everyone else is doing.
- time to detox
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A lot of the time, we forget that our social media is OUR space. You shouldn’t have to feel forced to follow someone just because they’re an influencer or because they were once in your life. You should follow the people that inspire you and make you feel good about yourself. Your environment should feel safe and positive, and if that means removing a couple of people, then so be it. How you approach social media is your personal choice! Pro tip: remember that in a lot of social media apps, like Instagram, there’s a mute button that allows you to mute certain users’ content temporarily.
- social media isn’t real
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We are so quick to forget that there’s more to someone than their social page. It’s easy to compare yourself to others and wish that your life looked a certain way, but the reality is, no one’s perfect. People post their highlights, not the in-between moments. We don’t even see a quarter of anyone’s actual life, just these small moments they share. Remember to be kind to yourself and to others because you don’t know their reality.
- Remember when social media was fun
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I miss the 2014 era where we would quite literally post anything. I remember being in middle school when Instagram was at its prime, in my opinion, and there was no pressure to have these perfectly aesthetic feeds. We would post the most random content and take way too many selfies with the same filters on Snapchat, but it was all so carefree. Social media is supposed to be fun! So post what you want, what feels good to you, and don’t put too much pressure on it. Post that funny meme you found on Twitter or that photo of your coffee. Or don’t, it’s up to you!
- be present
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There’s this constant pressure to be posting every exciting moment in your life and to share it with the world. And if you like sharing photos often, that’s great but don’t forget to be present. You can easily get caught up trying to capture this perfect picture, but enjoy where you are and be in the moment. Not every event should be centered on getting the right picture or having to post immediately. Personally, to be more present, I’ll look at my pictures afterward and post when I’m ready. After all, there’s no time limit, and social media apps aren’t going anywhere.
I’ll be the first to admit that I still spend way too much time on social media and analyzing my pictures, but I’ve come a long way. I feel so much more comfortable with what I put out to the world, and I’m beginning to find a balance that suits me. However you feel about social media, I hope you’re able to find your peace with it. If you take away anything from this, remember that social media is your creative space, so have fun with it, don’t overthink it and be present with the people you love.