Most of us have several forms of social media that we use on a daily basis. Between Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat, and Pinterest I’m sure 85% of us have at least 2 of them if not all 5; and those are just the main ones. We are not even talking about different dating apps or other platforms that allow us to post and connect with others. Although these apps can be entertaining, they can be just as stressful if you allow them to be. Did you get enough likes, views, reposts, interactions, ect?! This stress can cause people to take down their posts or go on a social media hiatus just to protect their mental health.  

My message to you is: You are more than the likes you receive. Plain and simple. Social media can pressure you into seeking validation and approval from others before actually accepting or celebrating what it is that’s going on in your real life! Social media does not rule your life. It is meant to provide entertainment, keep you up-to-date, or maybe even motivate you, but not to rule your life as a whole. I just want to share a few suggestions to help keep you in a positive headspace, and to remind you that the likes are not as important as some of us make them out to be.  

1) Monitor what you intake. Social media is supposed to entertain! It’s supposed to make us laugh and be a happy break in our day when needed. It should not be a point of stress in our everyday life. The good thing is, you control what you see on your social media pages. Be intentional with what you allow on your timeline. If you find that some of the pages or people that you follow are continuously posting negativity…unfollow them. Better yet, replace it with a page that inspires you and flood your timeline with positivity!  

2) Take the power away from likes and views. The main thing we look at after we post something is how many people have viewed our stories or liked our posts. Some people have voiced that they will actually take a post down if not enough people like it. Instead of letting views and likes stress you out, take the power back! Go to your settings and remove the views and likes from your posts. I am not quite sure if all of the social media platforms allow this, but I do know that you are able to turn them off on Instagram. If you take away the likes, you can get back to the real reason you wanted to post in the first place without feeling insecure. Post because you want to share a positive memory; not to see how many people you can impress.  

3) Post to make yourself feel good, not others. Social media allows you to share pieces of your life. Some people think of Twitter as a social journal. Others view Instagram as an interactive scrapbook. Keep this in mind when you get sidetracked or discourage by the likes or comments. Do not post for others; post for yourself. Just like anything else in life, if you do it for the wrong reasons, you are the only one that ends up hurt in the end. Don’t allow something that is supposed to bring you happiness to be the source of your anxiety. 

Life is too short, and social media is not real. The reality is, people, post what they want you to see; not what their life is actually like. So, take social media with a grain of salt. Take some control back and put some happiness back on your timeline.  

“The number of ‘Likes’, followers, and reshares you do or do not receive has absolutely nothing to do with your true identity, value and worth.” -Randolph Koch 

-S|20

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