After deleting all the social media apps off my phone, I found myself constantly opening my phone, swiping, and clicking in the place that once held the folder of Snapchat, Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube. It was only then that I realized how intertwined social media has become in our lives, to the point that my body was literally programed to open it, and to be honest, it freaked me out. Growing up, I can remember social media playing a part in my life. Whether it was the early days of Facebook or the present culture, where we have countless platforms playing a role in almost every aspect of our life, it has always been there. Information spreads like wildfires, and it seems like if you’re not checking in on Snapchat, Instagram, Twitter, or some other source of media, you’re missing about a thousand essential pieces of information. Don’t get me wrong, I think social media and the internet certainly has incredible advantages that allow us to stay connected with people, have access to information instantaneously, and provide a creative outlet in general. At the same time, however, it has also been a source of immense anxiety for me, and many other young women and girls. Am I doing enough? Is my relationship as good as theirs? Is my feed aesthetically pleasing enough? Do I look fat in this photo? Should I blur my skin in this? Unfortunately, these are only a small portion of the toxic thoughts social media can produce, in a way that often disproportionately affects women. After many years of having social media, I’ve only recently realized the reality of its effects on my well-being, and have learned some valuable tips that have created a healthier, more conscious relationship with myself and social media.
The phrase “comparison kills” almost perfectly fits in to the way a lot of women view social media. We are raised in a society that teaches girls, at the youngest of ages, to compete. While we are evolving to a place of female empowerment, the conditioned thoughts that we always need to be doing better than other people remain prominent. Through social media, this often manifests itself in a physical way, where girls are constantly being picked apart for their appearances, or comparing their own bodies, relationships, clothes, friends, and lives in general to others. It’s nearly impossible not to feel a little bad about the dessert you just ate after looking at an image of Alexis Ren in a bikini on some tropical island with an incredibly attractive man. However, as much as that Instagram model life appears perfect, it’s not, because at the end of the day we’re all human. For me, it’s really important that I unfollowed a lot of those accounts that brought me nothing but insecurity about my own life. If an account is only focused around physical appearances and creating perfectly modeled photos, it is often not going to make you feel good. After realizing this, I began following accounts that posted pictures of more than just bikini pictures and selfies. I started filling my feed with a more diverse following of powerful women that I looked up to, art accounts, motivational accounts etc. I found I was so much happier and inspired when checking Instagram!
At the end of the day, taking a break from social media was really eye-opening and beneficial to me, and I often still delete all the apps off my phone every once in a while, to remind myself that what I have in my life right here and right now is enough. Social media can be a great tool, but can also be a really harmful source of negativity. So, take a break from it every once in a while, practice gratitude for the real things in your life, make your feed more positive, and be kind to yourself.