I was never one to fall into trends or the mainstream, but looking back, I did for a little while. It happened from 2011 to 2012. I had this paranoid belief that I needed likes from certain people on my Facebook photos to prove that I was cool.
I know, it sounds insane from the person with all this...wisdom nowadays. I guess my overanalysis didn't kick in back then. Anyway, before I had braces I always had a fascination with taking photos of myself, portraits, to be fancy.
I had a whole box of outfits for these photos and a weird expectation that I had to live up to certain people who seemed better than I was, but we were really on the same level and they just didn't show that side of things.
It was never a case of me not believing in myself, or being comfortable with myself, but I always fell back onto these certain peers that seemed like they were people I should've been, when they actually took advantage of me.
It didn't help that I actually asked what a good profile picture would be, instead of trusting my own judgment. It's not wrong that they gave me their opinion, but it would've been nice for one of them to just say, "pick what you think is cool, it's your profile.", although, I'm saying that because I'm older and wiser.
Back then, I probably wouldn't have wanted to hear but I was too caught up in approval from other people to just fit in. I'm saying all this because it came to my mind today while I was looking at some older pictures, but I know deep down, that I had a certain concept I was following and I have my memories of my early creative attempts and I'm truly embracing it now.
So, to all the people who think following a trend is cool, stop. Don't live on approval from others. Become your own hero. Inspire others. Don't develop reliances. Embrace yourself as you are. You are here for a reason. Why blend in, when you can stand out?