The Game of The Gram

It’s been about 9 weeks since I started blogging and creating content on Instagram. In 9 weeks I have learnt a lot and how scary it really can be.

I decided to use social media as an outlet after some big changes happened in my life. I never thought it would be about the number of followers I had – it was about doing what I love which is sharing outfit pictures, talking about new products and just telling my story. But you don’t realise how much of a game Instagram is until you start playing.

My favourite game is ‘Follow Unfollow’. The amount of followers you have and how many you are losing can become an obsession. At the start of my journey, I definitely checked my followers count more than I should have done. I think the most followers I gained in one day was around 150, all of which I lost the very next day. I quickly started to realise how much of game it all was and one I just wasn’t prepared to join in with. I decided to only engage with accounts I really liked and those that inspired me and grow organically.

I have felt quite overwhelmed since starting my account. It takes up a lot of time engaging with fellow creators. Researching new hashtags, looking at your reach, talking about your account to your friends who think you’ve gone crazy, questioning why one of your photos didn’t do as well as others. When you really stop and think about how much time you have spent doing all of the above, it’s quite shocking. Put it into perspective.

Creating content, taking photographs and finding amazing accounts are all parts of Instagram I really enjoy. On the flip side, it can also be a dark place where individuals can get lost in the air brushing and body morphing. I scroll through Instagram and see account after account of these beautiful young women who feel the need to look ‘perfect’ and ‘Insta-ready’.

Reality check. Nobody is perfect and no one ever will be. It’s about loving who you really are – not the version of yourself you are sharing on Instagram.

For me, Instagram has been a learning curve. I will continue to create content for as long as I enjoy it and hopefully those who engage with me continue to like what I do. I have also met some incredible women and I am very grateful for that.