Instagram is saturated with influencers, beauty gurus, bloggers, people with YouTube Channels, and people with advice and life experiences they want to share with their friends, family, and other followers. All of those can be great things; however, in my opinion, if your use of social media is lacking this ONE thing, then you aren't truly reaping the full benefit of what it was created for. In the time that I have been on Instagram, I have learned that the 'secret' thing that ensures it is a refreshing place of inspiration and community for me, is authenticity.
Authenticity has become a sort of buzz word for people showing more than just their highlight reels on social media. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy an aesthetic feed just as much as the next person (lololol), but I think it's more so about the subtle ability to not care about what people think about you. I've had an Instagram account since the sixth grade *ew cringe* but it used to be more for personal use and trying to impress people if I'm being completely honest. I am now at a place where I believe God gave us all different stories and the ability to share them for the growth of His kingdom. I want to share my experiences, my struggles, the things that I have been loving or learning, and more. But I don't want to do it the same. way. as. everyone. else... and if you're reading this, then I'm assuming neither do you?
Being real is easy in theory, you just are. You don't have to manufacture a personality that isn't authentic and it should be natural right? Well yes, true––but honestly, being comfortable in expressing that is often where I find the hold up to be. So here is what I am learning about being comfortable and confident in sharing the story God has given me with the audience of friends and loved ones He has surrounded me with:
1. Don't wait for the perfect moment –– When there is a message on your heart or there is something worth sharing, don't wait until you're in the 'right' outfit, or the lighting hits a bit different, or to go fix yourself first. Show up as you are.
2. You need to NOT care who is watching –– I'm just gonna call it as it is. STOP CHECKING TO SEE IF THAT PERSON HAS WATCHED YOUR STORIES. Stop wondering if that friend from high school is judging your choice to share your testimony. Stop caring if people do not validate or approve of the calling your life was designed for. When God gives you the 'go' and you hold it up to scripture, wise spiritual input, and prayer, it doesn't exactly matter who around you 'agrees' with your decision to be obedient and fulfill your purpose. The community you build will reflect what you put into it.
3. You have control over what you consume –– This one seems so simple, but I honestly forget it at times. If you catch yourself staring at someone's page with envy or comparing their purpose in God's kingdom to yours in a negative way, you are the person subjecting yourself to those things. Take action and realize that you are only consuming what you choose to. You are not obligated to follow your exes or people that you are distant from but praying over, you are not a bad person for creating healthy emotional boundaries. Recently, I unfollowed over 900 people. Not because they're any less important, not because there was anything negative coming from their presence on social media, and not because I wanted to elevate myself by appearing as though I was 'too cool' to follow a large number of people. You wanna know the real reason why? My life was cluttered. I was scrolling aimlessly for hours (time that I did NOT have or need to be wasting), consuming TONS of media that was not directly growing my faith or creating the type of environment I came to Instagram for. Surprise surprise, I figured out that is not a forbidden thing to unfollow someone. Bonus point (and probably an unpopular opinion): if someone is truly for your growth and wellbeing they will understand your boundaries and desire to honor them more than they care about the number of followers they have. Design your feed with people that inspire you, people that build your faith, and with content you are genuinely invested in. Steal your time back from scrolling, go read a book, spend some time in the word, and don't give the enemy a chance to distract you with endless media consumption lol.
4. Focus on the message, not the masses –– Likes, followers, interactions, comments, etc... etc... Without all of that jazz would you still be satisfied with your usage of social media? Yeah, I get that if your social media is designed to bring in income then those things matter (somewhat). That being said, I would challenge us––the common users of social media––to ask ourselves: are we happy with what social media represents for us? If not, focus on the messages you're sharing, the messages you're receiving and not the 'masses' (aka the numbers). When your focus is people-oriented, you are far more likely to experience the gratifying connections and relationships that social media has to offer versus the comparison, and surface-levelness of a number-based definition of 'success.'
Alright folks, that's all I've got––that's my two cents on the topic. I hope that this encourages you to share that photo you loved, type out that caption you know carries purpose, or post that story because it's truly you.
As always, remember that you are known and loved by your creator and that His gift of joy surpasses any satisfaction that social media can offer.
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