Earlier this week, self-made Instagram superstar Essena O'Neil spoke out against something none would have ever guessed..her own images. Before leaving the Instagram world, O'Neil had claimed over half a million followers through her seemingly perfect caption and filter combination.
Comments such as "goals," "perfection" and "body envy" began to pop up under her glamorous photos, and unlike the effect that would have on many, it didn't settle well with her.
She later edited picture captions to say how she truly felt at the time the picture was captured.
O'Neil's bravery and honesty to publicly admit her flaws may even outshine her beauty. Not only has she paved the way for more conversations about social media's effect on clouded self-image, but she has also began a movement.
A friend of mine decided to also do something similar on her Instagram posts, protesting the social stigma of social media.
Now, the challenge is up to us. Do we continue the way we're living now by not acknowledging the false front people compose on social media, or will we help O'Neil by promoting positive living and ideas?
I challenge all social media users to take a second and consider whether they accurately portray their true selves on their accounts. Do not glorify something that's not real, and don't intend to be something you are not.
Instead, focus on the meaning of these captions, and realize it's more important to be happy with who you really are than to distort your true persona for social media fame.
I'll end with a quote, to help remind everyone of the choice we have when posting on our social media accounts.
Every time we post on social media accounts, we have a personal choice on the pictures and captions we post. Will we continue to support vain beauty and insecurities, or will we finally stand and support people expressing themselves in an open and individualistic way? You decide.
"The 'self-image' is the key to human personality and human behavior. Change the self-image, and you change the personality and the behavior."
--Maxwell Maltz
