Social media can be a positive and inspiring atmosphere, but sometimes it can be quite the opposite. Social media, Instagram, in particular, can lead to negative emotions that wouldn't have been evoked had you never scrolled. Instagram is everyone's highlight reel. No one wants to scroll through their feed and see someone posting a photo of them crying in bed. Even though social media can evoke negative emotions such as jealousy or like you're not good enough, you don't want to see other people's struggles because we often use social media as escapism.
So, you might not want to see someone posting a photo of them crying in bed, but what if social media found a balance between curated photos and more candid photos? What if social media became a bit more... unfiltered?
What is Realstagram?
ABC's former Bachelorette, Kaitlyn Bristowe, created a social movement called #Realstagram. If you have any idea about The Bachelor franchise, you know that curated and perfection is the name of the game. The perfect women, dreamy men, unattainable dates, extravagant traveling, and expensive ring at the end.
On Bristowe's podcasts with Erin Treloar, the founder of Raw Beauty, they talked about how Bristowe felt like she had to share flawless pictures of herself after the show and to keep her figure. Not only did being in a high-stress situation on The Bachelorette make her feel anxious, but everything else that came with attention afterward made her anxiety severe. So, the point of Bristowe's movement is to encourage all individuals to share unfiltered photos of themselves without makeup on or any other edits to the picture.
In today's society, we are constantly connected to digital media. Think about it with children, if they are continually browsing social media or watching videos of people with the ideal life and looks, they'll want to imitate that.
#Realstagram will encourage people to post real and raw photos of them because it's reality. That is what humans look like, and we should embrace that more. Embrace your uneven skin complexion. Even if you're thin, we all have stretch marks. Embrace your freckles and sparse eyebrows. Embrace all who you are.
We can have curated content because it's fun to create and to look at, but let's get real now and again. I know I'm guilty of falling into the comparison game, especially when I have other beautiful women on my feed.
I remind myself those women have tough days, too. They probably look at their feeds and wonder the same things that I do. It's normal because we are humans, but just because it's normal doesn't mean it has to stay that way. I can appreciate my natural beauty and others.
Be real.
No one is perfect, and that's okay. Celebrate you and your unique characteristics because that's what's interesting. Let your true self shine - imperfections and all. Be sure to come back next Friday for another post!