Whether it's Instagram, Facebook, TV shows, magazines, movies, advertisements, or any other pictures you see on a daily basis, our perceptions of beauty are constantly being altered in one way or another. Most of what we see is not real, because of the way technology has become so advanced with altering photos.
After scrolling through my Instagram feed I will sometimes go to the "discover" section and immediately regret it after a half hour spent scrolling through pictures of people who are considered to be "beautiful". But what exactly makes them so "beautiful"? Is it because of the way their body looks in a bikini? Or because of their flawless skin? The outfits they wear? Their tanned skin? The size of their curves? The amount of money they have?
We spend so much time focusing on ways we can try to look like these people instead of being grateful for what we have. We are so caught up in the people that are shown all over our social media pages that we don't take the time to think about the kinds of people who aren't shown. Such as those who have been obese their whole life and feel as though they have no hope to ever become slim. Even the opposite of this, people who suffer with eating disorders because they can never be happy with the way their body looks. What about the people who have dealt with acne their whole life? No matter how many dermatologists they see it never seems to go away. Or the people who are homeless and can't afford to buy a coat even though its -30 degrees outside? What about the people with skin cancer who have to be cautious every time they are outside, while others are spending hundreds of dollars on tanning packages? Lastly, those who suffer with breast cancer that are just trying to make it through treatment, while others are getting implants because they aren't satisfied with what they already have. Instead of only showing support toward people who are constantly being admired for their looks, we need to start reminding those who feel discouraged everyday that they are beautiful and that they are worthy.
After taking the time to think about how I have been allowing society to make me feel insecure about myself, I've finally decided to take a step back from glorifying people for pictures that aren't "real", and instead I've been trying to look for people who have actually done something that I can admire about them. Such as the authors of my favorite books, or the artists of my favorite songs, and even people that I've met who made a positive impact on my life.
It's time to let social media influence you in a positive way.
