People Don’t Want Perfection, They Want Honesty
"People don't want perfection... they want honesty." Sounds like a great quote, right? Well, I, unfortunately, didn't write it. I heard it from The Bold Type - a great show on Freeform. In this episode of The Bold Type, one of the characters, Kat, is pushed to share her own story, her own struggles, and her own truth, on the company social media accounts. What eventually ends up happening is that she starts a new movement called #BeReal, encouraging people to ditch the perfect social media posts for an unfiltered, unedited version.
Now, this got me thinking, do people really want that? We scroll through our social media feeds and see FaceTuned bikini pictures, gym pictures, perfect food, happy couples... all leading us to believe that everyone we follow is leading the perfect life. But then I start thinking more... how do these Instagram posts that I look at every day make me feel? Honestly, not that great.
I scroll through my Instagram feed and I'm constantly comparing my life to others. Comparing my body, my face, my clothes, my shoes, my success - all to strangers on the internet. Constantly telling myself that I'm not enough, that I'm not pretty enough or skinny enough or just not enough.
But, this is the content that people want, right? Maybe, but it's not that great for anyone's mental health. My friends and I will text or direct message one another all day long comparing ourselves to those we see on Instagram. Tearing ourselves and someone’s even each other down based on images we see on our timelines.
To tell you the truth I've had enough of feeling like I'm not enough. I recently went through and unfollowed anyone who makes me feel bad about myself, even if I actually do know them in real life. I followed more positive accounts to fill my feed with happiness, encouragement, and relatable content.
Some great accounts I follow, who promote not only body positivity, but also self love, and positive vibes, are Olivia Muenter, Hannah Neese, Britney, Georgie Morley, Noelle Downing, Jeannette Ogden, Camille Kostek, The Every Girl, Mantra Magazine, Violet Clair, Quotes by Christie... and SO many more. (p.s. If you follow anyone great, drop it in the comments, so I can follow, too!)
I am so ready to start feeling positive when I log into social media because you know what - I think people do want honesty, not perfection. So, I am going to lean right on into that.