Living for the Gram: How to Start Living for You and Not for Likes

Social media is everywhere, and everyone is telling their own personal story on a continuous loop that can be accessed anytime of the day. In the beginning, social media was a way to connect with the world, however, now it has become a place full of fantasies and unachievable expectations. Many of us have gotten caught up in the cycle of trying to keep up with the lives we see online, but we do not realize we are chasing ghosts.

Taking the time to create and promote an online life stops you from living a real life. You are consumed with obtaining likes and comments instead of consuming yourself with real happiness that does not include an electronic device.

Stop living for the Gram and learn how to start living for you and not for likes. You can start living for you by:

• Filtering what you consume
• Taking a break from social media
• Doing something more interesting
• Accepting reality

Using these tips, you can have the life you dream about and appreciate the life you have lived.

Filter what you consume

Social media is not real life, just a sample of the stories that people choose to tell. People are creating the realities they are willing to accept instead of the truth. When you consume so many alternate realities, it starts to alter your reality and how you see your own life.

Filtering your social media feed allows you to have control over the type of content you allow yourself to consume. It has a real impact on you if all you see are people with perfect bodies, perfect vacations, perfect relationships, and perfect responses. Life is not perfect. The presentation of constant perfection can create unrealistic expectations about your own life.

Make an intentional choice about who you choose to follow and consume. Make an intentional choice about who you choose to interact with through a comment or even a simple like. Every decision you choose to make when it comes to filtering what you see in your social media feed, lands you one step closer to focusing on the important things in your life…not the likes.

Take a break from social media sometimes

Too much of anything can be bad for you and that also includes social media. Set a schedule that identities the days or time of day you plan to access social media. Limiting how much you access social media reveals how much more time you have for more important things.

If your urge to access social media is hard to manage, there are several apps available that can help you help yourself. Apps such as Offtime, Moment, and BreakFree, can be customized to limit your access to social media and your smartphone.

Breaks from social media allow you to explore other opportunities and devote time to self-care. The opportunity to reset before interacting with social media allows you to see things with a new perspective not influenced by outside voices.

Take breaks when you need them. Social media is not the priority, you are the priority.

Do something more interesting

Social media can be fun, however, there are more interesting things you could do instead of scrolling your Instagram feed. The act of watching other people live their lives online can paralyze your progress. You become caught up in the trance of watching instead of living your own life.

Put down your smartphone and pick up a good book to learn a new skill. Start writing more or learning how to paint. The point is whatever you do, do something that does not involve social media so you can live. Anything you do offline has to be more interesting than watching one more cat video.

There are tons of options to explore something more interesting using local resources. Your local Department of Recreation has awesome options for courses and outdoor activities. The desire to become a photographer or even a dancer, can be fulfilled by doing something more interesting than checking for the latest status updates from your online friends.

Accept reality

The atmosphere on social media can be whatever the creator chooses but it does not always mimic reality. Consistently visiting a world of fantasy and make believe can distort your reality. Learning to understand and accept the reality of your life is crucial to the quality of your life.

The things you do not like about your life can be changed…by YOU! Setbacks do not last forever, and obstacles are just temporary speedbumps on the road to success. Spend time with yourself to reflect on your life and devise a plan to get to your desired goals.

Use tools like meditation to look at your life without blinders or influence from others. During introspection, you can look at your life for what it is and accept the realities of it. You can use that information to decide what changes you want to make and celebrate the progress you have already accomplished.

Visiting a therapist is also helpful to accept the realities of your life. Most healthcare plans include coverage for mental health services including the ability to visit a therapist. Online therapy sessions are also available through a variety of platforms. Taking a moment to speak with a professional can help you make sense of the realities of your life and identify how you can move forward knowing your truths.

We are what we consume. Living for the Gram, Facebook, Snapchat, TikTok, or anything other than yourself is a waste of time. Social media is great in limited quantities but be aware of how it affects you. Filter out the negative content and limit the time you spend engaging in social media. A life filled with the experiences you can always cherish are more important than any status update.