As a hairstylist, mother, and woman, I have wanted to scream lately: Reality called, and it wants it filter back! If there was ever a topic about social media that I think needs to be talked about more, written about, or #trending its this.
First off, let me just say, I am NOT completely against social media. There have been a lot of positive things that have come with it. As a small business owner and being a mom, social media has allowed me to self-promote myself, as for many other people. It has allowed people to stay connected and up to date with family/friends' lives, thru pictures and post. I know for me, I would not know about half my high school classmates lives I graduated with, if it were not for social media. It has also allowed people to express themselves and voice their opinion to the world and reach tons people.
The issues that I have with social media, is the fake filtered world it is creating. Social Media has another side to it, that I believe is going to create a lot more mental health and body dysmorphia issues. Or has it already begun?
It was one of my own personal experiences with social media that began my reflection on this. I started just like everyone else, getting on Instagram, Snap Chat, Tik Toc, etc. I would take a few photos and then hold down the button that would allow the filters to pop up. It was fun at first, I'm not going to lie. All the ways it would transform my pictures, and my face, and my life frankly. My pictures suddenly looked more vibrant and colorful. My face suddenly looked more symmetrical and more attractive. I started having favorite filters that made me look better or my vacation look more fun. I even started taking pictures of my children and adding the filters I loved to them too.
I didn't realize at the time, but all the filters I was creating on my beautiful REAL life was starting to alter my view on my life and myself. I was starting to not be as content in my actual photos when I would take them. I started hating all the #selfies I would take of myself and would analyze my face and my body more. Which I definitely didn't need any more ammunition on self-critiquing. I already did a pretty good job of that without the filter help.
Then, one day my daughter asked to take pictures with me. After we got done, I popped up the filters and started the "fixing" of my photos. My daughter asked what I was doing, and I answered by saying I was fixing them. I am going to pause my story for just a second to say, children are one of the best teachers and they do it so innocently too. I needed Ava's response that day to ground me and bring me back to reality. She responded by saying "What's wrong with the pictures?"
At that moment I stopped and put my phone down. Ava had asked such a simple question but such a deep one. Nothing was wrong with my pictures of me and her. Nothing had been wrong with my vacation photos with my family and my husband. Nothing had been wrong with my pictures of myself. All my pictures were perfect with no filter because they are my LIFE. My pictures are beautiful snapshots of a life I get to live, the face and body that my spirit gets to live in, and my truth.
If we spend our lives filtering and adjusting our photos of ourselves, our children, our lives, our vacations, holidays, and etc. We are stealing the joy and gratitude out of our very own hands of what a true gift it is to get to enjoy this very REAL life. We are not made to live in a fake world and as a fake person. We devalue ourselves and our lives slowly without even realizing it. Those photos you take are authentic and show the truth of what happen that day and who you truly are, and that is something you would never want to filter. So, what, if you looked a little heavier or the sun wasn't as shiny that day on the beach. When your older, you will look back and be so grateful for that untouched photo. You will reminisce how that day, your kids laughed running back and forth on the beach from the waves. Or, how you belly laughed with your family and friends in the sand. I promise when your 80, the last thought you will have is that filter really looked good.
Do not forget that your no filtered lives are actually the most beautiful filtered there is. Simply because it's our truth of who we are and our lives. So, the next time you take that #selfie or photo, try the #nofilterneeded.
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