Making Instagram a Safe Space-WBK FIT
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Making Instagram a Safe Space

When you open up your Instagram, do you feel happy and inspired or do you find that it always puts you in a bad mood? If your feed is causing you to feel bad about yourself (whether it be your appearance, body, life or job) then it is time to reevaluate your social media!
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When you open up your Instagram, do you feel happy and inspired or do you find that it always puts you in a bad mood? If your feed is causing you to feel bad about yourself (whether it be your appearance, body, life or job) then it is time to reevaluate your social media!

Who are you following?

First of all, it is time to go through your follow list. I suggest unfollowing every account that has ever made you feel insecure in any way! We can spend hours on Instagram each day, so you want to make sure that what you’re seeing helps you feel good and empowered. Don’t feel guilty, or as though you are missing out by unfollowing them, just think about how amazing you are going to feel by not having to endure a hit to your confidence every time you click that Instagram icon. Instead, try and think about which accounts inspire you. Maybe they motivate you to eat well and go to the gym, or to practice some self-care, or to dream as big as you can! Now go and find as many of these accounts as you can and follow them instead. The goal is to transform your feed from a draining and negative experience, into an experience that leaves you feeling ready to seize the day. “Who

Keep It Broad

Make sure that you follow a broad spectrum of accounts. If everyone that you follow is related to fitness, then this is going to consume you. It is easy to feel as though ‘fitness’ is all that matters in the world when you are seeing people all over the world live and breathe it. By following multiple areas of interest you will feel more grounded and well-rounded. If you are interested in the news, then follow some current affairs accounts. Follow fashion accounts if you love clothes and beauty, or even interior design accounts if you are decorating your home!

Go Tech-Free

You can actually turn on a setting within the app that notifies you when you’ve spent a particular amount of time on Instagram. For example, if you want to spend less than an hour on it each day, set the reminder to 1 Hour and it will let you know! This is a great way to keep yourself in check, and actually seeing the amount of time you’re spending online can be a real shock. It is way too easy to just open Instagram whenever you’re walking and waiting for a green light, on the train to work or even when you’re watching Netflix! This takes away a lot of our ‘mindfulness’ moments, where we would otherwise just be present and enjoying the moment.

Another way to detox from social media it to take a Tech-Free Weekend! Just uninstall Instagram on Friday afternoon and don’t let yourself re-download it until Sunday evening at the earliest. If you’re an avid Instagram user then you will be surprised at the difference it makes to your life. You will be more present in what you are doing, pay more attention to who you’re with and take in your surroundings! “Katya

Instagram can act as a powerful source of inspiration, but it can also provide never-ending opportunities to compare ourselves with the highlight reel of others! Choose to support people and accounts that are authentic, uplifting and that support you right back!

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