MY INSTAGRAM SELF DEVELOPMENT PROCESS + TIPS

ocial media can be a wonderful tool. It allows us to communicate with loved ones who live far away, see someone's adventures through photos, and update other people on our own lives. Social media can be addicting in a very dangerous way. I mean what's the first thing we do when we wake up? - reach for our phones - checking all notifications. Go watch YouTube morning/night routines, does one girl ever not mention social media or without the usage of their phone? - no, because it's all we think about. It can quickly become a dangerous tool in many others ways in our lives other than it just being an addiction or habit.

I love social media. I'm able to catch with my girlfriend who's out of state, share photos of my life, and stay updated with my favorite family members. However, I can pick apart social media in a second. I see the destruction it's done for so many girls, including myself. In my generation the first social media I signed up with was Facebook because it was the "popular" thing to do. Within my first year of creating and updating my "cool" profile and page, I deleted my account because of hurtful situations that occurred that year. I remember (before I deleted it) when I'd see certain photos, or certain people would pop up on my screen, it made me so upset I would throw my phone so hard across the room. I couldn't take the never ending comments that read "your so beautiful," "model status," "ahh just stop it," "no you're the gorgeous one darling," and they just kept appearing everywhere. Could any girl change their profile without receiving these comments? I believe it still is like this today just not as bad, but back when I had it everyone viewed your profile by how many friends you had. If you didn't pass 200 you didn't pass the "popular test."

Then came Instagram, the most powerful source of publishing any type of photo! It's my favorite social media app (ironically). But it's one of the most hardest to deal with. Social media is famous for making a girl feel unpopular, unlikable, ugly, and less important. Self esteem and self worth is something that I've had to work on for a long time, and I still don't believe I've perfected it, and I don't believe I ever will. Receiving 40-45 likes per photo isn't all that great, compared to some who get over 100 on a stupid shoe picture. After scrolling through my feed this week, I've realized my weakness - not content with my amount of "likes, and comments." I had to step back and take some time figuring it all out. I had to clear my head, and focus on the problem. I didn't want to ignore it this time, and make the same mistake I did with Facebook. I didn't want it to come to the same conclusion like last time (delete it). I was determined to solve and fix this uncontentment. Here's how my process went as I wrote out my list.

1.  Social Media promotes popularity through the "like" button - Like I've said above, that like button is powerful! It can make someone feel loved, or forgotten. People will scroll through their likes and remember those do didn't like the pic or those who did. That one name can bring much hurt or happiness when it comes to one simple "like." All of the sudden it makes you start to question your friends modive.

2. Brings on doubt - Then you go into doubt phase. You begin to doubt who your true friends are. You begin to doubt the photo you posted. All this unwanted doubt just takes over and ruins everything. It makes you doubt how pretty you are, the outfit you wore, the emoji's you used in the description box, and the list goes on!

3. Why do I keep Instagram? - Because I really do love documenting my life, and seeing my friends! I have my blog account, and I love editing photos. Emjoi's rock! 

Once I narrowed in on all these feelings I knew it had to deal with something even more deep - the amount of likes doesn't define who I am. It doesn't matter if I get 20-75. That's not the reason why I share photos anyways. I share them because I love going back and seeing my previous life moments. I love editing photos, changing the effects, adding text, and adding stickers. Emjoi's are so awesome in a description as well as hashtags! So if you too only focus on the amount of likes then please join me, by taking time to write down your thoughts on why and the process it takes to get to this point. I encourage you to look at your profile, or social media in a different way. Number 1 and 2 (in my list above) describe my confusion, problem and hurt. However, number 3 gave me a completely new outlook to my problem, helping me to adjust my mindset. Social media doesn't have to be a destruction tool in your life, rather us it to enhance your life! "If it doesn't challenge you, it doesn't change you."