The Truth About Social Media

The Truth About Social Media

How much should we share? How to use it in a positive way? Dealing with negative thoughts and posts.

Social Media is pretty much unavoidable in modern society. It doesn't matter what age you are, if you're not on social media there is a chance that you constantly feel like you're missing out. This fact does not change, however, even if you are on social media. There will always be people out when you're sat at home, people abroad when you're in your home country, people doing something you only dream of doing. But is this healthy? No? 

Then how can we change social media, and the way we use it, to encourage us, to motivate us, to make us happy rather than it instilling major FOMO, or in more extreme cases, exacerbating mental health issues. Make sure you're happy in real life, not just on social media.

This might seem easier said than done, but for me, changing my perspective when scrolling through feels such as Instagram has really helped my mentality. What I try to do is see posts as motivation rather than discouraging or something that reduces my self-esteem. For example, if I see an insta model, blogger or fashionista with a stunning body, rather then thinking "I shouldn't of eaten that chocolate bar" I'm more focused on the fact that if my goal is to become more toned, how can I do this. How can I achieve something similar to what I am seeing but in a realistic and positive way. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying starve yourself, I'm not saying go for a 5 mile run if that's not something you're capable of, and I'm definitely not saying don't eat the chocolate bar. But is there a way to view content as inspiration rather than an unobtainable, unrealistic view of 'normality'. 

Negative thoughts are common. Particularly with the nature of social media today. The average British citizen spends upwards of 8 hours on social media each day, and that's often higher for teenagers. Thus, we are living half of our day in a different version of reality. One that is, a lot of the time, a far cry from actual reality. What do we get from this? Is it the new sense of connection that social media was designed for, or is it a system of decreasing mental health, self-esteem issues and a breeding ground for negativity? 

What we have to ask ourselves, if we fall into the latter category, is what are we going to do about this? What are we going to do with this?

If an account isn't inspiring you, making you happy, connecting you with something or someone you love, then is it worth following. Personally, I've been looking at my feeds on all platforms and if I recognise that something isn't making me feel good, or promotes an ideology that I don't agree with I just unfollow it. Unfollow. It such a simple process but one that doesn't occur often enough. We have to be savvy enough to recognise that an account of individual isn't serving the life we're making for ourselves. The sad thing is that the effects are being felt at such young ages. Young girls are talking about dieting and exercising when they shouldn't be. Comments about looks, weights, styles are constantly published and can have devastating effects. Recognising this negativity is one thing, doing something about it is another. 

Another aspect of social media that has blurred lines is privacy. Whilst we all want to show the amazing sides of our lives, this is not the truth and we all reserve the right not to post things we don't want seen. But should we keep some of the happier times private too? I'm guilty of posting all my happy moments on various platforms and I'm sure that some of my followers are probably beyond fed up with me, so perhaps I need to take my own advice here. Sometimes, keeping things to yourself, or between you and others involved can make moments more memorable. When we shift our focus from capturing the perfect angles, to living in the moment and enjoying the time whilst you're there. "Spend less time watching other people enjoy their lives, and more time enjoying your own"

One thing to not, particularly in recent years, is that you simply cannot trust anything you see on social media. QUESTION EVERYTHING. From photos, to reviews, to quotes, it is so hard to ensure that the information, images and stories you are consuming are the truth rather than a manipulation of the truth or purely fake news. Fact checking is something I get taught at uni, but it is something we should all do. This can be applied to hard information, or just the photos posted by your favourite celebrity. Just something to bare in mind.

In light of current circumstances, social media can be a powerful tool for projecting your voice, your beliefs and to inflict change. This is one of the most powerful benefits of social media and I believe that this is one of the most powerful ways to use it. Use it as a tool for you to become a voice for those who do not have one. A voice that encourages change in a peaceful and productive way. A voice of positivity. 

Love always, Annabelle Grace

xox