We've all been guilty of it - male or female - we scroll through the Insta feed or any social media channel & see epic people, doing epic shit, living a life way more epic than the rest of us. Then when you finally quit scrolling & put your phone down, you realize how epic-less your life is.... And if you claim you're not guilty of this then you're lying. Flat out.
I won't lie - I've had my own personal battles with social media. Someday's I'll have a bad day & ignorantly log on thinking that looking into someone else's happy life will make me feel better about my own - stupid, right? 🙄 I'm aware trust me. But that's just one of many battles I've faced when it comes to social media, which is why I felt compelled to share my advice & a "peace" ☮️🧠😉 of my mind when it comes to the pesky game of social media! For me personally, while social media has it's negatives, it also has become a way for me to get inspired, connect with others around the world with similar interests & keep up with old friends I don't always get to see all the time, if ever! However, social media can trigger weird emotions so I want to share my advice & things I've learned a long the way on this social media adventure....
~PSA - The advice below isn't sugar coated. It's advice I'd say not just on my keyboard to you, but to your face as well because I've had to say it to my own in my bathroom mirror. The purpose of this post to help you find a peace of mind in this crazy social media driven world!
Peace of my mind....
//Your life is epic, but your attitude isn't
Say what you want, but you have a great life so stop telling yourself you don't. Just because you aren't on some exotic island with a tan, drinking from a coconut doesn't mean your life isn't just as epic. What isn't epic is your attitude towards yourself. Throw a short pity party if you must, but then suck it up & go chase after what it is you want. That person didn't get to that exotic island just by sitting on their ass being jealous of someone else on social media. No. They went out & made it happen for themselves.
//Know When It's Time To Log Off
Sounds simple, right? WRONG. I legit will find myself so anxious, jealous & frustrated seeing others with nice bodies, pretty hair, beautiful homes & traveling & yet I still continue to scroll! WHY?!! Maybe it's me, but I got to a point where I made myself put down my phone for an hour & not touch it. I set a 60 minute alarm & do not allow myself to touch it until the hour is up & I've leveled my head out <----- that makes me sound like I'm on my phone all the time, but to very honest I am on it a lot. My job is on my phone & my blog & social media is sort of my second job. So even more reason why I have to force myself into a break.
//Social Media is a highlight reel
No one is posting about their failures, their tears, their darkest secrets or biggest battles. Social media is a highlight reel for everyone - so before you think someone's life is perfect, know that there's more than what any camera phone can shoot. All the more reason to like someone's photo if you see them post because you have no idea how much they have lost before they finally won in this life. We don't always talk about losing season - we shouldn't have to, but that doesn't mean it isn't or hasn't happened. So again, before you assume someone is perfect - take a step back - they've worked harder than you know.
//Follow Only What Inspires You or What Is Mentally Healthy For You
It's no secret I love to shop, but following a ton of fashion bloggers resulted in me buying a ton of clothes I never wore & me spending money on things I didn't need. So I went through & unfollowed those accounts to spare myself. I loved their accounts, but that wasn't a lifestyle I wanted to portray myself as or keep up with. I even took a break on following certain travel accounts because living in cold ass Michigan is depressing enough so seeing tan chics on the beach all the time didn't help my case. Is it low & slightly petty? Probably. But sometimes you gotta do what's best for you and your mental health. Michigan is a beautiful state & where I'm rooted, so if certain social media pages are making me feel down about it - then they gotta go! Same to you too - if seeing island pics takes your mindset from inspiring to depressed - remove it from your feed. Unlike life - on social media we can choose what we do & don't want to see - one good thing at least!
//Long Breaks From Social Media aren't a good idea - they're mandatory.
Sometimes I'll take a weekend or week off from logging on to collect myself & recenter my focus & I can't tell you how good it is for the soul to unplug! Take time to detox & ONLY live in the moment not your screen. For awhile, I used to post photos even on my worst days claiming to be happy & what not till I called my own self out for being fake AF. Why portray I'm feeling a certain way when I'm totally not? No more. If I'm going through somethings or don't feel inspired - I take that as an even better reason to detox from social media for a minute to focus on me. Don't let it consume you.
//Find your social media platform or purpose
You don't HAVE to have one, but for me - social media became so much for fun when I decided to just be me & share what I'm passionate about. I love budget friendly ideas, thrifting & home decor & I love sharing & connecting with others that share similar interests! If you're only purpose on social media is to share your cute kids - then hey more power to ya! Sounds like a purpose to me! Don't get wrapped up in other peoples beautiful feeds & let yourself think that what you're posting isn't good enough or no one cares because that's not true.
//They're stupid apps - don't take them so seriously
The world functioned fine before the era of social media & it will continue on when it does finally fade out. That being said, don't take it too seriously. Like all trends, this too will come & go so don't sweat it because it ain't worth all that.
As I mentioned above, I've had my own personal battles on social media from cyber bullying, jealousy, body & beauty comparison, being obsessed with my number of likes & followers, overspending on products & even being catfished!! - Yup, it happened to me too! You name it, I've experienced & felt it all on social media! I'm happy to say that I've come a long way since logging on in 2012 & that despite the crazy emotional roller coaster I've been on with it - the path it's brought me on has been very rewarding! I'm still finding my feet on the ground on what I'm trying to do on this world wide web, but just know I love & appreciate you all for being here & supporting me every step of the way! You are the reason I continue to stay motivated & hustle hard! Not to mention, I've got a lot of people to prove wrong 😘 To any of my social media gurus reading this - say peace out to those negative vibes & say hello to only positive ones! Give yourself peace & follow your heart! ☮️💗
XOXOXO
Mrs. Northern Belle