We've all witnessed it on social media: those girls that post a million selfies of them in their bathroom mirrors, puckering their lips into a sassy pout or scrunching their hair into their fist while looking away because they can't bare to look at their own angst. We've all made fun of their duck lips, claiming that they must be self absorbed or crying for attention and compliments.
You know what? I post selfies. I post a lot of selfies. It's not a secret. If you follow me on Instagram, you surely know how many selfies I post (@devil.with.the.blue.dress) I don't do it for compliments (though, those are nice). I post them for myself and those I care about.
Before you continue to judge me and those other girls you graduated high school with or "friended" to get the answers to your college math class from, here are a few reasons to consider why your online friends might post pictures of themselves and why you should "like" them rather than hate:
1. They feel good about themselves.
Feeling comfortable in your own skin is a feeling that can be very hard to come by. When my makeup is truly looking fabulous, I like showing it off. I have great confidence when I wear a new lipstick, so I like to show it off. I want to spread the self confidence that I hope my pictures show.
Because who doesn't love being a giraffe during a road trip?!
2. They feel terrible about themselves.
I've posted many selfies of myself at my worst. I just posted one a few days ago, makeup-less, wearing my coke-bottle glasses, cheeks flushed with fever:
I felt terrible, and I knew I looked terrible. So, why did I post it? To show those that see it that it's okay to have flaws. It's okay to look like crap once in a while, and that I'm by no means perfect.
3. They're happy.
Sometimes, when I'm feeling particularly happy, I want to share that with the world. So, I smile a toothy smile for my cell phone, and post it to Instagram and Facebook. I want my smile to be infectious, too! If everyone posted a picture of themselves whenever they felt happy, your Facebook and Instagram feeds would be a million times happier, don't you think?
I know I take the most selfies when I'm traveling or marking an important event. I took so many selfies while I was studying in Ireland and I take them on an important day like Halloween or Christmas. Sometimes I have people pose with me, but usually I sneak the picture alone.
These two pictures were of the many selfies I took in Ireland!
4.I need a confidence boost.
Okay, maybe I am fishing for compliments once in a while. Is that a crime?! Sometimes a girl needs to lean on her friends when she's feeling down or bloated. One small compliment can make someone's entire week!
Now, my lovely/handsome reader, you need to open your camera app of choice on your cell phone, smile (or pout, if that's your signature look) and snap a picture. If you hate it, take another one. When you get one you like, post it to your page of choice, whether it's Instagram, Twitter, or make it your new Facebook profile picture. The reaction you get might just change your attitude about the idea of selfies.
