The Beauty in Social Media

Maybe this is an unpopular opinion, but I love social media.

This might come as a surprise considering that many think of Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat, etc as a constant source of toxicity, comparison, and superficial highlight reels. There is some truth to this, but I would argue that we hold the power to curate our feeds and engage in the more positive side of each platform.

Have I fallen victim to the Instagram explore page, scary accurate marketing pop-ups, and gone down spirals comparing myself to the people wine-tasting at vineyards, climbing mountains in the Rockies, and attending music festivals covered in glitter? Absolutely. Has it been a learning curve showing up online as my most authentic self and only following the accounts that light me up inside? Hell yes.

For me, the beautiful direct messages & comments with my New Zealand soulmates, amazing Bucknell humans, and family members that turn into hours laughing on FaceTime, Zoom dinner dates, and weekend trips are well worth it. Peeling back the bullshit that is ~influencer~ culture, skinny tea ads, or the latest TikTok drama (that quite honestly makes me feel like a Boomer) takes effort, but there is something much more meaningful beneath the surface.

With that said, I am not perfect and have definitely presented a version of myself online that I thought would be more accepted by the masses and make me appear to have my entire life together.

I guess you could say I have an intuitive & intentional relationship with social media at the moment. I use it as a tool for self-expression and connection. I recognize that everyone's life circumstances vary, and while this is not an attempt to spew advice, consider it more as an optional toolkit that may nor may not reframe your narrative around whatever platform you choose to use.

1. Only post pictures that remind me of a joyful moment I want to remember (not just because I think I "look good") - i.e. the picture I chose for this post (:

2. Remember that another person's beauty and success does not take away from my own. Always celebrate others rather than succumbing to the impulse to criticize.

3. Follow accounts that bring me peace and/or make me smile. Friends and family are obvious, but I love following interior design, nature photography, and art accounts because they are super soothing to the eye when I inevitably scroll during my downtime.

4. This is related to #2, but unfollow or mute accounts that deplete my energy. There are SO MANY reasons to be grateful, I am not wasting any time on images or content that make my cup appear less full.

5. Always post for MYSELF, not to control others' perception of me. This means not spending time editing and dwelling over captions, but posting because it speaks to me and represents who I am as a person - and this changes every day. I am adventurous, loving of other humans, sexy, clumsy, smart, anxious, empathetic, and the list goes on. I want to show as much of myself as possible because I am proud of who I am.

Although none of us have a perfectly healthy relationship with social media, I hope this post is a reminder that we have the choice with every swipe and click to show up as our most authentic selves and turn down the noise that can dilute our lives.