How Social Media Affected Me
Recently I have been struggling to feel fulfilled on Instagram. It’s rather frustrating. While I have fun scrolling and viewing Instagram feed, I also get satisfaction and pleasure from growing the following on my account.
I posted this photo below yesterday. I’m not always comfortable posting my photo on Instagram. Therefore, I put myself out there for yesterday’s post.
Do you know what happened?
I lost 10 followers in a span of an hour on my Instagram account and I lost 2 followers on my Chuzai Living Facebook page in one day. Considering how small my following is, that was big.
While I told myself, it’s totally okay. I shouldn’t be bothered by it. It totally affected my mood all day. I didn’t like that social media affected me emotionally. This is not the only instance that I felt badly about myself due to my performance on social media. The frustration has been building up over time.
Why do I care so much?
Here’s the story behind.
Social Media As Part of Building Portfolio
I am a blogger. I live overseas as a trailing spouse to support my employed expat spouse. I haven’t been able to work due to my expat dependent visa status and the short term commitment I can make due to the life circumstance.
I blog so that I can build my portfolio. People can find out what I am capable of doing. The goal behind this is that my blog will function as my CV. Hopefully I will be employable when the time comes.
Instagram, on the other hand, helps me build credibility for my blog. It also helps me sustain the presence in the online world even when I am absent from blogging. Now I blog at least once a week. When I lived in the U.S. from 2016 to 2018, though, I only published a handful of times in the 2-year period. Nevertheless, I posted 4-5 times a week on my Instagram account. It’s easier to post photos than to write a blog post.
That being said, even though I don’t make any money out of blogging and Instagramming and I have no intention of doing so, I treat them like my profession.
Social Media & Life Balance
Social media is not bad. Algorithm is not evil. It doesn’t work on my favor and it has become the source of my frustration, but I also know that we have to adapt ourselves to how media outlets evolve.
What’s more important for users to note is that how we perceive it and how we allow it to come into our lives make the difference in our lives. We have to carefully monitor ourselves so that we are not drowning in it.
To end this blog post, I would like to leave you with this hilarious account that my friend Amber told me.
If you haven’t seen this account, you have to see it. Click on the link below.
It is real, not acting.
The satirical perspective on the recent phenomena around social media, specifically Instagram, is brilliant. If you need to feel brighten up about social media, that’s the account I would visit. It will make you smile or laugh so hard that you’ll tear up. Enjoy!
influencerinthewild by Tank Sinatra
Thank you for reading my blog!
I purchased a new pillow for the chair by our front door. It’s white and simple. It has dressed up the area very nicely.
It’s from H&M Home.
Kaho – Your comments about social media prompted me to respond. I just wanted to let you know how much I have really been enjoying your blog. We are a state dept family and will be arriving to the Philippines this summer. My friend here in Morocco Anna suggested I check out your blog, and it’s been such a great find and a help. It makes me feel very excited about the move when I see all your lovely pictures and travel, but tbh the best part is seeing how creative you have been with embassy furniture! your home is beautiful and has really inspired me to take more time in setting ours up at the next posting. Thank you for sharing all your tips and tricks and experiences! perhaps we will meet in person some day.
Best, Theresa
Theresa, thank you so much for your kind words and reading my humble blog! You made my day by leaving me a comment. I really appreciate your time to write me. Moroccos is one of my dream place to either visit or live. How wonderful that you were able to be posted in Morocco. I wish you the very best in your transition. I know how hard it can be and I was in your place 2 years ago. Manila has been wonderful. I love it here. I hope the experiences for you will be the same. Good luck!