Hey Loves! Happy Sunday! Hope you are all well! So there has been a lot of talk online lately about Instagram Star/Model Essena O'Neil coming out and claiming that social media is fake, staged, and basically just a facade. I never followed her on Instagram...but I did on her YouTube, where she'd post great vegan recipes as well as beauty tips. Looking back though, her videos did show this almost "too perfect" life of no dirty dishes and pretty decor. Yet isn't that what us humans want...only to see the pretty things? What's your take on Essena's claim?
I've been blogging over 3 years now, and on Instagram did a year long "Self-Love Project" where daily I would post either a message under a picture I took or my take on a picture quote I saw. It actually was really cool and I met tons of amazing women around the world whom I still talk to, write letters with, and so on. I think when it stops being fun is when you need to reevaluate it. Towards the middle of my year long project, it started to become hard, especially after my breakup. But I tried to keep it as real as I could, but even that was a little too open for others I knew. It made them uncomfortable that I was comfortable with sharing the realness of my struggles. Whether it was about my breakup, my health or my lack of feeling good enough. Someone is always going to have something to say, no matter what we post. I think people respected the fact that I was honest though, because they could relate to me more.
Essena makes it a point to say why social media stopped being fun for her. She said she was forcing products to sell, forcing "zen" in her yoga picture poses, and all together just forcing some picture perfect life. I think it's so commendable that she's coming out because she wants women to stop reaching to obtain "this life" because in reality you never really know if that even exsists. You could see a girl sporting exspensive name brands while struggling to pay her rent. Or maybe they do really have that money...but are really just empty inside and use those materialistic things to feel whole? You never really know.
We've all been guilty of it. The girl who posts the dolled up selfie in hopes of the "You're so pretty" compliment. I WAS that girl. But I realized those compliments I got only filled me up for a minute. I'm all for a selfie here & there...if you're having fun, feeling pretty, why not? But it's when you live for those likes and compliments. Are you posting a million couple pictures hoping to get a "OMG #goals" type comment? (So stupid that goals hashtag by the way!) If you're so confident in your relationship you shouldn't have to remind the world of that daily. Goals should be trying to inspire others by how nice you are. Mother Teresa didn't look perfect or need to brag to get love, she was just a good human being. And truthfully if you're posting fake images of a life that you don't really live, well jokes on you.
You see my picture above...as soon as I took it, I looked down and there was a fly in my coffee. I could of posted it and said "Perfect Sunday" or some BS like that...Lol...but no there's a damn fly in it. You all may see me post pretty pictures of living in Hawaii. It's beautiful, but I've really struggled living here away from my family and friends. You've seen me and my BF, but we have our fights just like everyone else. And that's okay. That's real life! It's fine to post pretty pictures and follow others pretty accounts too, but make sure it brings something to your life! If it motivates you, makes you laugh, and inspires you then you're using social media the right way. If not then it's time to press "Unfollow."
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