Online Health

We are growing up in an age where the world is at our fingertips. With the internet and social media we can express ourselves and see the world of others anytime we unlock our phones. Something I’ve recognized in my own life is that although these platforms are a great source of connection, they can also become unhealthy to our minds. Here are seven ways that I changed my social media to make it healthier for myself and those around me…

• Unfollowing spam pages/accounts that don’t promote positivity: When you are scrolling through your feed negativity and unnecessary posts can really drain your mind. By unfollowing those accounts that are causing that, your browsing becomes a better experience.
• Post for yourself: I have found that sometimes people, myself included, post things to please the masses or to get likes and recognition. Although recognition is a good thing, you should try to post things for yourself and not for the attention of others. Post for yourself and people will support you.
• Don’t force yourself to post: Post when you feel like it. Personal social media accounts are for pleasure, not a job. Forcing yourself to post or following a posting schedule can easily consume you and you may forget about the life you get to live outside of the internet. So post when the time is right, post when you want to.
• Be mindful about what you are posting/sharing: Use your social media to educate yourself and others about things that are important. Make sure that your sources are reliable and that you are posting to show people things, not to hurt them. Additionally, you can share affirmations and other positive things to brighten your day and maybe the days of others.
• Get rid of triggers: If certain things make you uncomfortable, remove them from your feed. This includes people, if certain people are holding you back remove them so they aren’t distracting you from all the great things you are doing.
• Be honest: Open up about your struggles and about your growth. If you aren’t ready or don’t like the idea of that, support others when they are sharing their journey. An encouraging comment or private message can help others more than you know. Don’t hide, be honest, be your true self.
• Post more selfies: Girl, you are beautiful and you deserve to show off your beauty to the world. Love yourself because we sure do. So take a deep breath, post the selfie, and let your beauty shine!

Written by Elena Vallejo