Improving Self-Care in the Digital Age
By Danielle King, QMHP
The practice of cultivating self-care in the digital can be challenging at best, and soul crushing at least. It’s easy to fall into a social media world full of content that can hinder your ability to care for yourself. It’s not a coincidence that social media has “feeds” that we scroll through. We consume these feeds for hours on end, which profoundly affects your health and well-being. I know I have been guilty of wasting a day away on TikTok, or letting myself get upset because someone else’s life on Instagram looks perfect. It’s important to remember people only post what they want you to see, and if what you see on your feeds in not benefiting your mental health, here is some guidance on how to boost your self-love as your scroll:
1. Detox your social media.
Unfollow and delete accounts that don’t lift you up, inspire, or add value to your life. Remember, like we feed ourselves with food, we also consume media and content. This goes for music, movies, TV, books, news, websites, and of course, the accounts we follow on social media. By unfollowing or unfriending people that don’t serve you, you’re releasing these toxic and “junk” accounts from your media diet. I, personally, made it a point to unfollow anyone on my Instagram that doesn’t immediately put a smile on face or isn’t an account dedicated to a dog or other cute animal. I also will purposely look up cute and happy videos on TikTok to make sure my For You Page is full of positive vibes.
2. Create space for a higher quality feed
Once you’ve unfollowed accounts and people you don’t truly feel aligned with, you now have space to follow accounts that offer value, inspiration, and substance. Choose accounts that align with your goals and values in life, or are just funny or cute animals. The higher quality accounts will motivate you to be your best self and ultimately, to love yourself. Let these people and ideas be your fuel for loving your best self.
3. “Comparison is the thief of joy.” – Theodore Roosevelt
Remember that people’s social media accounts are highlight reels of their lives. When you start to compare your everyday, “normal” life to other’s spectacular, curated “lives”, it can be very difficult to love yourself. When was the last time you posted something that didn’t make you look or feel amazing? Remember that when you see other posts of people who seem “perfect.” Nobody is better than anybody else. Find your true value and express that through social media, and know that everyone is different and unique.
4. Limit your social media time.
If you’re going to use it, set a timer or a time limit allowed per day. You can also delete the news feed section from Facebook. Better yet, delete the app entirely from your smartphone. This will save you hours of wasted time! I, personally, have the notifications turned off to all my social media apps so I don’t get that itch to look every time the little bubble pops up. I also have my “like” count hidden so it doesn’t seem like a contest to get more likes than my last post or even other people. Think of all of the time that you could save from scrolling on social media by actually getting out into the world and experiencing life. The more you experience life, the more opportunities you have to love yourself and find something that brings you joy.
5. Focus on what feels good.
Find what brings real joy into your life. It’s easy to get temporary happiness from the number of likes and follows we get on social media, but this is fleeting joy. It’s like eating junk food. It feels good while we’re eating it, but afterwards, we don’t feel good about ourselves and crave more! Instead of relying on how much interaction you’re getting on Instagram or TikTok, start to value your time by doing things that bring you authentic happiness. Getting in nature, connecting with friends and family, going on an adventure, or diving into a hobby that makes you lose track of time are great places to start.
When you cultivate a life that feels genuinely good to you, you’re less likely to seek that fleeting moment of feeling “good” when you get a certain number of likes or views. Setting this foundation of true confidence, self-love, and respect for yourself releases insecurity and the desire to seek approval from others.
For more guidance on detoxing from social media, or just help finding self-love and learning healthy self-care, contact our office! If you want to set up an appointment for therapy, please email or call us. You can reach out to us at Info@TheMentalWellnessCenter.com or 309-807-5077. If you would like to look at our list of providers to seek help for you or someone you know or love, please review our providers here: https://www.thementalwellnesscenter.com/providers
Reference:
Thomas, M. (2017, September 26). 5 ways to cultivate self-love in the age of Social Media. Sivana East. Retrieved April 27, 2022, from https://blog.sivanaspirit.com/mf-gn-cultivate-self-love/
