Stop comparing yourself to strangers on the internet!
The internet has opened our eyes up to many, many things around the world. We can learn about physics via a Ted Talk, or add to our travel bucket list by reading about places of spectacular beauty in all four corners of the globe
We can forge friendships with people who live thousands of kilometres away. We can get interior design ideas. We can find out what’s going on in our neighbourhood with a few clicks of a button.
The internet is great.
Except when it isn’t.
Social media lets us consume information about many things we’re interested in. And sometimes that’s a real benefit – but it can also lead us to follow Instagram feeds or Facebook pages which promote an ideal rather than a reality. This can be especially damaging to our self-esteem when it comes to body image.
Because contrary to what we might see on social media, there is no such thing as the perfect body.
And more to the point, there’s nothing “wrong” with yours!
It’s time to take back the power.
“We need to see diversity. Our eyes need to see the full spectrum of human bodies. Only then are
we likely to understand our bodies are not a problem or a project. We can see all bodies as
perfectly normal and human (including our own).
One of the positive things about social media is that we have control over the curation. We can
broaden our feed by: following a diverse range of people (with a diverse range of experiences as
well as appearances); filling it with accounts aligned with our values; learning from body image
activists; and follow causes and organisations you support.
Your feed does not have to reinforce the cultural ideals.” – Jodie Arnot
So what can you do to stop social media causing your negative body image?
There are just two easy steps….
1.Stop following accounts that make you feel bad.
It’s natural for us to look to people who inspire us and make us want to improve in some way. But is that account you’re following making you feel anxious? Self critical? Deflated/unmotivated?
When you see their posts do you experience more body image issues and self doubt?
UNFOLLOW THEM.
Motivation/inspiration is good. Feeling bad about yourself is not. Nobody has time for that!
2. Instead, follow accounts which make you feel happy!
Here’s what I want you to feel when you look at a post on Instagram or Facebook:
- Motivated
- Uplifted
- Positive about your body
- Determined to look after yourself
- Aware of the importance of self care
- Balanced
Here are some social media accounts that I enjoy following:
The Mindful Dietitian (Instagram)
Samantha Dhu Counselling (Instagram)
Welcome to Wellbeing (Instagram)
Feel Good Eating (Instagram)
The Moderation Movement (Facebook)
At the risk of being cheeky, my social media profiles are uplifting and encouraging places, too! You can find me on Facebook here and Instagram here!
Don’t forget: What you see on social media is not real life. Stop comparing yourself to others.
A photo on Instagram captures a second of someone’s day. It does NOT reflect their life. You don’t know what’s going on behind the scenes.
“The reason we struggle with insecurity is because we compare our behind-the-scenes with everyone else’s highlight reel” – Steven Furtick
The Moderation Movement sums it up perfectly:
“Health and fitness comes in all shapes and sizes. Truly. You cannot tell by looking at someone how fit or well they are. You don’t know if they have strong mental health, absence of illness, physical strength, and stamina or if they have a disordered approach to food, suffer from mental health issues or struggle with fatigue. A person’s size cannot tell you these things. Set yourself wellness goals that are not related to appearance and let go of thinking you can see who is fit by their body size.”
Stop the comparison. Stay in your own lane. You’ll feel SO much better!
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