If Instagram was any evidence, keeping up with the Joneses is not easy. It never was. Today's society has become so engrossed with materialism and social media was no help at all. In fact, it only encouraged social approval and fueled desire for validation based on what is seen aka the material things. If you are a personal style blogger, like myself, who had to use the app (Instagram) to promote your blog, you might have felt the pressure to keep up as well.
Therefore, I felt the need to share my thoughts about Instagram and this whole social media culture. Remember the time when catching up on each other's lives meant inviting your friends over for dinner at your own home and showing off your photos to them until they're bored? Things have changed dramatically in this era. Now, you can update your friends and even strangers who follow you about every detail of your life in real time. It sounds creepy but that's how most Instagrammers function.
If you are on the other end of the spectrum, there is a huge pressure on your back when it comes to living up to the pressure of Instagram. How do you keep up with top fashion bloggers who are constantly jet-setting? One day they're posting sunset shots of New York City and then the next they're posting photos of the gorgeous beaches in Cancun (with a cocktail in hand, of course!). Or, maybe they're rubbing elbows with fashion designers at a fashion gala? There is no doubt a seemingly unattainable standard that celebrities, models and other famous personalities have set for Instagram.
Don't frown just yet. It is all but normal to feel that way. A tinge of envy is part of being human. But do I let it distract me from what is going on with my life? Even I can't manage to create the perfect flat lay. But who cares?
Try these three methods that I've used to overcome the inherent pressure that goes with maintaining an Instagram account:
1 – I do what pleases me.
Much of the social media struggle hinges on
the need for validation, for social approval. I have let go of that idea when
managing my social media accounts. I do whatever pleases me. I post whatever I
like or enjoy doing. I refuse to be dictated by what would consider others
click the ‘like’ button. I have attained a certain level of belief in myself
that my existence is not validated by a mere ‘like’ or ‘follow’. In this social
media era, it is understandably easy to be consumed by this type of appreciation
but do not let it define you.
2 – I follow whoever I like.
This is another healthy step to overcoming
the pressure of a seemingly glamorous social media life. Choose to follow
people you genuinely like. When you follow someone because of their gorgeous
photos or awesome flatlays, you could be easily swayed to look life through an
ideal. You will look up to them as the ideal and be frustrated when you can’t
live up to that standard. Instead, I follow people for the genuineness and for
the stories that each photo has to say.
3 – I try not to spend too much time on
Instagram.
On an average, I probably post 3-4 times a
week on Instagram (or once a day at most). I do the occasional flooding of
posts when I’m on a roll. But I try to live my life, not live a life that would
look good on social media. There is a huge difference!
Have you ever felt the pressure to craft an idealized version of your life on social media, particularly Instagram?
