Raise your hand if you’ve ever felt personally victimized by social media? We’ve definitely all been there. Most people like to follow accounts that are aspirational to them. Personally, my feeds are filled with talented artists, beautiful home renovations, gardens and travel. With all the amazing content out there, it becomes SO hard to stop scrolling and SO EASY to fall into the comparison trap!
Lately I’ve been feeling really down on myself. Thoughts of self-doubt and jealousy have crept in and taken over my brain. I realized I was spending WAY too much time scrolling through social media and it was really affecting my mood. I knew this but was so addicted, constantly checking in and waiting for those next hits of dopamine. I was in a trance and had to consciously pull myself out! Below are my 4 suggestions to escape the comparison trap:
It may seem obvious, but physically leaving your space and getting outside will do WONDERS. Think about where you spend most of your time scrolling. Is it on the couch? At your desk? While laying in bed? Your physical surroundings can really trigger the urge to constantly be checking in. Fresh air will distract your brain and also bring mental clarity, so just leave!
Seriously, you don’t realize how much time you’ve spent on social media until you force yourself not to log in. Maybe it’s just a day or two, maybe you need an entire week or month – but think about what your boundaries are and set them. There are even apps that will block social media use, look into those if you have a hard time sticking to it!
As working creatives, we know that having a social media presence is SO important, but it is stressful, daunting and distracting. Unfortunately, the algorithm forces us to spend time posting and interacting which can be pretty destructive to our mental health. I would suggest planning out your social time and posts, maybe take one day a week where you create the whole week’s content and use an app like Planoly that will plan and post your content for you! Find a time block where you can scroll a bit and interact with other accounts (I usually will do this for 30 mins during my lunch break). This will keep the algorithm happy and in your favor!
EVERYONE has these feelings – these apps are designed and curated to only show the exciting content. And if you’re a creative experiencing what I call “artist envy”, know that even the best artists feel this too (I’ve heard it never really goes away). Everyone starts somewhere, and I’m willing to bet that someone is looking at your work and feeling envious, too.
I hope that these tips help! Remember to take your time, take care of your mind. Also, snag your free download of the below “Give Yourself a Break” art print!
Love, Emma
