When you’re scrolling through your social media do you feel uplifted, confident, inspired? Or do you feel depressed and unmotivated, comparing your life/body/career to others? If you don’t have a positive relationship with your social media and it’s affecting your wellbeing, it may be time for a digital detox. A digital detox can help you improve your confidence, reduce stress and help you to connect with who you really are and what you value in life.
Modern social media and our self-esteem
What we view on social media can affect our confidence, body image and judgement of ourselves and others. The 2020 Netflix documentary The Social Dilemma explores the damaging effects of social media such as Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. The documentary highlights the massive increase of self-harm, suicide and depression in young people, particularly since these sites became available on our mobile phones around 10 years ago.
Social media can be highly addictive and users can become fixated on likes, followers and what other people are doing/buying/eating/posting. It can impact our confidence and makes us less likely to find our true voice and identity because we are focused on other people’s lives. The unrealistic images of bodies, homes, cars and happy lives are often heavily edited and fake, yet we are still tricked into thinking it's all real. This sets an impossible standard to compare ourselves to.
How can I tell if my social media is good for me?
Step 1: Log onto your favourite social media platform
Scroll through your feed and as you view posts, images and videos ask yourself the following;
- Does this make me feel good about myself and who I am? Or do I feel negative and judgemental about my body, clothes, job, family, finances?
- Does this make me feel light, uplifted and inspired? Or, do I feel sad, lonely and self-critical?
These questions will help guide you to what is working and what is not.
Step 2: Unfollow
Take the leap and unfollow or unlike any of the accounts that do the following;
- They trigger you to feel bad about yourself (your body, clothes, car, job, finances, family)
- They don’t bring you closer to loving and accepting yourself for who you are now
- They are not in alignment with the kind of person you are or healthy balanced lifestyle you want to create
Congratulations! You are now clear of some triggers and obstacles that may be affecting your mental, emotional and physical wellbeing.
Step 3: Remove judgment
So how can you avoid falling back into following accounts and consuming content that is not good for you? How can we stop judging our friends/family or worrying what they will think?
Removing judgement is one way we can do this. Next time you feel jealous or judgemental do this instead;
- Mentally wish the person well and be happy for their success and achievements
- Tell yourself that you too can be the best version of yourself
- Move on without any feelings of jealousy, resentment or judgement
How else can we remove judgement of ourselves and others? Compliment yourself, compliment others, accept compliments. Don’t criticise or judge others, whether it’s how they look, parent, work, spend etc. When we stop the judgement and shaming it frees us up to improve our own wellbeing and connect more deeply with our own path and purpose.
Step 4: Follow
When you are deciding who to follow and what you want to come up in the feed, ask yourself the following;
- Who has the energy, confidence, message and values that you align yourself with, or want to be more like?
Some suggestions are listed below.
Natural beauty and artistic expression
Social media can be a great place to explore and express your own beauty, self-expression, creativity and connection to a community. There is a lot of amazing content and accounts that can help feel great about ourselves and enhance our own identity and values, rather than diminish them.
Positive accounts to follow
Choose accounts that resonate with you and make you feel good. Focus on what you want in life and your core values (adventure, health, creativity, family, learning, spirituality, security), not what you don’t have.
Here are some suggestions, you don’t have to like all of them or think it's the right way. That is the value of social media, there is something for everyone. Use this as a guide to start thinking and cultivating your own virtual support network and community.
Psychology, motivation and self-help
- The holistic psychologist
- Mindspo
- Mind Body Green
- Tony Robbins
Exercise and sport
- Bethany Hamilton
Healthy eating
- The Healthy Chef - Teresa Cutter
- Minimalist Baker
Music and real bodies
- Pink
- Alicia Keys
Body image and eating disorder support
- The Butterfly Foundation
Self love activities
Need some more help connecting to your body, mind and soul? Try some of the following self-love activities:
- Set time to unplug from social media and digital devices
- Dance to your favourite music or something totally new for you (salsa, classical, African, techno)
- Have a spa day at home (face mask, nails etc)
- Give yourself a foot massage
- Make up your own yoga or stretch routine
- Go out with no makeup on in your favourite outfit
- Pat and hug yourself, giving a little love and nurturing is very powerful
- Compliment yourself in the mirror
- Keep a gratitude journal
Where to go for help:
If you or anyone you know is suffering from social media addiction, depression or suicide please contact Lifeline Australia.
Phone: 13 11 14
Website: www.lifeline.org.au/get-help/
You may also like
Lifestyle
What To Gift a Newborn Baby
We’re a big fan of gifts that are both functional and comfy. Our brand was built with practicality, ease, function and comfort in mind. It was a collective passion, drive and demand for a simpler wardrobe made from sustainable fabrics that supported the everyday lifestyle that drives our brand identity. So when it comes to gifts for a newborn - what better gift than something that is good for them and the planet. A baby’s first wardrobe starts here. Boody Baby is an adorable collection of practical, Australian made baby clothing essentials created from organic bamboo. Perfect for play and sleep, the stretchy fit of our bamboo baby wear clothes is super soft on your bub’s delicate skin. Discover warm baby beanies, booties, baby blankets, bodysuits and more. All designed with zero waste and with your baby and the planet in mind. Natural fabrics - like certified organically grown bamboo are best for a newborn’s delicate skin, as they are breathable, soft and thermoregulating. If we think about baby clothes , including singlets, bodysuits and mittens - choosing natural fibres is the gentlest choice and the most functional gift of them all. To make gift-giving for newborns easier, we have compiled a list of what to buy. Okay, what size do I choose? On average, babies are born between 3-4kg, which generally means a size 0000. You can choose something for them to wear now (newborn) or something for them to grow into. See our size guide for help. Baby Sleeveless Bodysuit Introducing the Baby Sleeveless Bodysuit, gentle on their delicate skin and kind to the planet. Created for warmer days and nights, the Baby Sleeveless Bodysuit is designed with no sleeves and features snap buttons at the crotch for easy dressing and undressing. Finished with our signature trim and overlocked hem, our naturally breathable baby bodysuit is easy to wear and wash. This bodysuit is a staple in our collection of organic baby clothes. - Snap buttons at crotch for easy dressing and undressing - Signature trim - Round neckline Baby Long Sleeve Top Introducing the Baby Long Sleeve Top, gentle on their delicate skin and kind to the planet. Our Baby Long Sleeve Top will keep your little one protected and comfortable while busy playing and exploring. Featuring a Round neckline, snap buttons on the shoulder for easy dressing and undressing and overlocked hems, our Baby Long Sleeve Top is easy to wear and wash. Mix and match this baby top with our assorted bottoms including our Baby Pull-On Pants and Baby Pull-On Shorts. - Round neckline - Snap buttons on the shoulder for easy dressing and undressing - Overlocked hems Baby Pull-on Pants Introducing the Baby Pull-on Pants, gentle on their delicate skin and kind to the planet. Our Baby Pull-on Pants make getting dressed in the mornings easier with an elasticised, wide waistband for comfort and drawstrings at the waist. Our Baby Pull-on Pants pull on with ease and are designed to accommodate bulky nappies. Mix and match these baby pants with our assorted tops including our Baby Long Sleeve Top and our Baby T-Shirt. - Elasticised, wide waistband for comfort - Drawstrings at waist - Designed to accommodate bulky nappies Baby Socks - 3 Pack Introducing our Baby Socks, gentle on their delicate skin and kind to the planet. Our Baby Socks are perfect for every day. Breathable and soft, they feature an elasticised ribbed top for comfort all day long. With a non-slip sole, our bamboo socks for babies are crafted with a little stretch for the perfect fit. Discover our Baby Socks - 3 packs, including 2 plain pairs, 1 striped pair. - Each pack contains three pairs of socks: 2 plain pairs, 1 striped pair - Soft, elasticised ribbed top for comfort all day long - Non-slip sole for safety Stretch Jersey Wrap for Babies Introducing our Stretch Jersey Wrap for Babies, gentle on their delicate skin and kind to the planet. Our Stretch Jersey Wrap for Babies is super soft and super stretchy for easy swaddling. Simply double it over, wrap, pull firm and tuck the ends in well to keep your little one comfortable. Our bamboo baby wrap is the most gentle touch on a little one's sensitive skin - Size: 100cm x 100cm / 39" x 39" in - Contrast edging all around - Super stretchy fabric for easy swaddling Mindful Gifting Our bamboo, Australian made baby clothes and accessories are packaged in a 100% recyclable paper box printed with vegetable-based inks. For the ultimate packaging - wrapped in a cloth following the furoshiki technique. Discover our Baby bamboo clothes collection today. Looking to see our collection worn on very adorable little ones? Follow @boodybabyau
Lifestyle
The Ultimate Beginner's Guide to Zero-Waste Living
So, you have heard the term zero-waste and you’re interested to learn more. A zero-waste lifestyle is about being mindful and considered in your everyday actions. A zero-waste lifestyle is a journey and the notion of avoiding, reducing and eliminating waste from your home and habits will not happen in an instant. The idea of waste-free living is about making considered decisions that are simple everyday swaps. While this lifestyle has a real, community-wide impact, it simply starts with you and your everyday actions.
Lifestyle
Boody x Charlie Evans
Last week, in celebration of our New Nude collection, we hosted a 'nude' art class with @_artbycharlie. Charlie led the class, discussing abstract figurative techniques and started with a drawing exercise, focusing on the lines of the body, shapes, movement, negative and positive space, placing and composition. Our models were in the nude - Boody nudes. They each showcased the new colours and were the drawing focus of the class. Depending on your skin tone, everyone's version of nude is different. We believe that every line, fold, curve, shape, and colour that makes you you is something to celebrate. Our class was inspired by nude being a state of being, not a colour. Discover our collaboration below with images of the day. Shop nudes.