Holidays have become a conquest for having the most likes on Instagram. It starts by stopping everything we’re doing, taking out our phones, and taking a dozen photos from every possible angle. We then spend another ten minutes contemplating a caption. Should I choose the lyrics for Beyonce’s new album or should I stick to emojis? Now it’s time for a filter and God knows how long it will take.
An hour later, we put our phones down only to pick them back up to check how many likes our last post got. By then, that beautiful sunset we should have been seeing is gone and the thunder clouds are rolling in.
We had the perfect moment but we didn’t savor it because we felt the need to show it to others.
Most of us social network users have a slight obsession with sharing everything; our brunch team, the surprise dinners that our partners prepare for us, the view from our hotel rooms. We have all been this person at some point in our lives or have sat in front of one. And it’s frustrating as hell. Aren’t we here to talk and catch up? So why do we ignore each other and lean over our phones?
Do our followers really care where we are and the hashtags that go along with it? Ask yourself this: do these things matter to you when you see them in your feed? Sure, some images are great, but they don’t make you contemplate them on a deeper level; after all, isn’t that the purpose of the scroll function?
We don’t need Instagram to validate our happiness; higher number of likes does not equate to higher levels of happiness. Sure, some people look ecstatic in their photos and their vacations look like something out of fancy magazines, but are they as happy as they seem? Or did they just have a big argument with their family? Was the food that good or was it super bland? These are things that images do not convey to us.
Worst of all, our Instagram feed has become a battlefield, a field of great competition. We feel intimidated by other people’s images and feel the need to ‘up our game’. A sudden sense of insecurity begins to develop as we feel driven to validate our happiness with others.
What we could do instead is get comfortable with ourselves and develop the mindset that I know I’m happy and I don’t need anyone else to tell me I am. We need to enjoy the moments that life offers us because the best ones come without any consideration and are amplified with a carefree attitude. Why make time to check Instagram every ten minutes when you could be sipping another margarita on the beach?
Now don’t get me wrong; I love taking photos and my summer destinations are no exception. They act as reminders of the good times I’ve had, especially on days when I’m stuck in the office. And yes, I am also guilty of uploading a photo or two while sunbathing under the tropical suns. But I’m looking to change this last part.
Of course, this will not be an easy task, but I am going to take small steps to achieve it. Maybe I’ll start by waiting until the end of the day when I’m settled in my comfortable hotel bed to upload something. One thing is for sure though: I refuse to waste precious moments worrying about how my Instagram followers see me.
We don’t need to tell people how happy we are, nor do we need to feed their curiosities. We don’t need to meet your expectations of us, because if anything, we should be enjoying our vacation for ourselves.
