Developing Healthy Habits on Social Media
When I got back on social media, I made a few promises to myself
I blogged almost a year ago about deleting all of my social media accounts. It’s my best performing post to this date and seemed to resonate with a lot of people.
At the time, I was proud of my decision and used the claps and comments on that post to validate my decision.
When I realized I had a desire to get back on Instagram, I knew I had to use the app differently. I recently read a piece from Zulie Rane that confirmed much of what I had already been doing.
Graduating from college and becoming an adult made me realize how hard it is to keep up with the peripheral people in our lives, and the ones who move hundreds of miles away. Texting, FaceTiming, calling… it wasn’t always an option.
But on Instagram, I could see glimpses of their lives, stay up to date and reach out when inspired. I have to say, I’ve used the direct message feature so much more often to respond to Stories, ask questions and make it clear that I still care, no matter from how far away.
That’s the kind of behavior that is a value-add on social media. The other stuff, I’ve tried to cut out. This time around, I only follow people I actually know. I don’t follow celebrities, whose lives often make me jealous and make me feel inferior.
I don’t follow home accounts whose architectural dreams and gorgeous, ungodly expensive houses make me long for more. That doesn’t make me feel good anymore. Zulie’s piece has the right idea. Oh and I don’t follow food accounts, whose posts make my peanut butter and jelly dinners and small budget look pathetic and lowly.
Which makes it all the more ironic that I have started a food account! (And it is ironic that I cannot cook well… thanks mom + dad, and thanks pb + j).
A few months ago, I had an idea to parody the absolutely insane amount of food pictures on Instagram. I mean, the number is astounding. How many times can we look at burgers and cheese pulls and massive milkshakes and still be satisfied? Our stomachs and eyes have become bottomless pits always on the lookout for the best-edited ice cream cone.
So I wanted to create a food account with a lack of food. Lucky for me, my supportive and hilarious (don’t read this, Kyle) boyfriend was a huge fan of the idea, so we started @plates_we_ate together. We post pictures of our empty plates, emphasizing that our phones did not eat first and were away for our date night/brunch, except for the picture at the end.
It’s our little way to poke fun and have a laugh on social media. Isn’t that what it should be about? And if no one follows us except our friends, who cares? They know and love us and this fits our personalities, spot on.
We’re not trying to be anybody we aren’t.
As long as I continue to live by that overarching rule on social media, I think I’ll be okay.
As I continue to use Instagram in a way that is healthier and better for my mental health, I find myself bucking the usual habits. If I only post once a month or two, so be it. Unfollow me if my lack of content bothers you. And I’m trying to push back against conventions with little things like my (lack of) food account. So check out @plates_we_ate, if that’s your sort of thing too.
Here’s to healthy social media usage for the rest of 2019 and beyond!
Make it this far? If you did, answer this question in the comments:
What social media rules do you follow?
