I am a slave to the internet. I don’t mind confessing it. I follow tons of bloggers on Instagram and listen to Podcasts about a variety of topics. I love seeing what clothes people are buying, what products women are using and of course, where people are adventuring to on vacation! However, I can sometimes feel conflicted about the blogging-game. I myself do not run a blog (maybe someday, stay tuned) but I can see the appeal of it. As a 20-something woman, now feels like the perfect time to develop my voice and personal brand. On the other hand, I don’t always want to hop on my computer and see a million different influencers telling me how to be “my best self” while they really just want me to be more like them. Not every blogger is like this, so I am not targeting anyone by writing this article! I just have a hard time finding a balance. While I love looking to Instagram-famous women for advice, I sometimes wonder why they have authority over me.
The problem:
Let’s face it, the internet is full of pretty women encouraging you to be more like them. They use their platform and their voice to sell products or ideas. While sometimes I am BEGGING for someone to just tell me what to wear, other times it feels like I can’t escape the constant cycle of working to be good enough. I fully support women exploring their writing capabilities on the web, but every now and then it feels like too much.
The solution:
I have a few ideas here….
1.) Step back
I have made the unfollow button a good friend of mine. I love exploring pages on Instagram, but I have seriously limited the amount of beauty and fashion gurus I follow. I feel as though I have established my style at this point in life, and if I am looking for some fresh ideas, I will go look on my own. I don’t need my feed to be filled with people telling me why I should dress like them
2.) Find a balance
Sometimes accounts like these can be fun! You don’t always have to take it seriously. Enjoy the aesthetic layouts or the trendy ideas bloggers produce. It can be visually pleasing and exciting to share with friends. You don’t have to take every suggestion or piece of advice to the grave.
3.) Follow “real” people
Bloggers are kind of like snowflakes; no two are the same. Each blogger has a different approach and a different style. You can find diverse accounts that best reflect your values and match the kind of ideas you want to develop. From what I’ve seen, there are some AMAZING accounts/blogs run by college women who are in the same shoes as you are. Take advice from them! Real-world girls who have similar experiences to you will probably be more relatable and better for building self-esteem.
Still not satisfied?
If the quality content you are looking for isn’t out there, maybe you can be the one to start it! Have you ever heard a professor say “don’t be afraid to ask a question, someone else might have the same one”? That same idea applies to web-content too! If you have an idea for empowering women, instead of selling products or asking your peers to conform to your beauty standards, then you might very well be the next voice our generation needs.
Hey, it’s an idea. Just think about it!