Photo by Cameryn Zorb
This week I want to give advice on how to make the most of the social media experience. The best way to do this is to seek authenticity in the posts that you see and the ones that you share.
I recently reinstated my social media, and this prompted the realization that people and their posts have power. They have the ability to skew our perceptions of ourselves. How are we supposed to feel content when we are constantly comparing our accomplishments and experiences with others’? People stare at each other from the surface of their screens as if that’s the truth of who they are.
I had to realize the truth behind these pictures. Deceit has been disclosed through the supposed authenticity of these people’s posts, and their lives, but there is so much more that’s not seen. My first tip is to stop comparing yourself to the unrealistic ideals that are presented through social media. The people who post these photos have spent hours scrutinizing themselves and pinpointing the parts they don’t like. They are nothing more than human.
Let me use myself as an example. I want to portray myself as a perfect person. I’ll stand on top of my chair to capture that aesthetic aerial shot of my brunch or hand my mom my phone so she can take pictures of me when I’m done up. But I don’t post photos of the days I spend plagued by insecurity. I don’t display the hours I spend with my tear-stained textbooks. When you look at me or my page, I want you to see these moments of beauty, but remember the ones deemed unworthy of your eyes, too.
That brings me to my second tip: Capture as much as you can. Sometimes it helps to act as an Instagrammer because this prompts you to pay attention to your surroundings and to see the beauty that you exude. Seize those authentic moments of your life and share them with the world because they deserve to experience your happiness.
When you seek the beauty of authenticity, you’ll see how radiant you truly are and that you deserve to document yourself without constant comparisons. You can enjoy social media and yourself. You want my advice? Always be authentic and recognize when that might not be the case so you can make the most of your social media experience.
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Want your question answered next? Send an email to cameryn.zorb@pepperdine.edu if you’d like to hear from me. Or contact me on social media!
Instagram – @camerynzorb
Twitter – @camerynzorb
