Wearing: TULAROSA coat | PROJECT SOCIAL T top | GRLFRND jeans
JEFFREY CAMPBELL slides | BAUBLEBAR earrings

 Let me tell you – having social media and social anxiety is a rare and difficult balance. Why would I put myself out there like that if I’m just going to be judged?! (My first reaction.) It’s difficult to talk about, if I’m being honest. That “I’d rather stay home than face the world” kind of feeling falls into my emotional spectrum more often than not. As someone who suffers from this, my initial thought is to hide it. If I’m showing a smiling, happy, “look at all the things I do” kind of image, who could say a thing? And then there’s the part of me that wants to show myself raw, unapologetically. The real me. It’s a fine line that I never really dare to cross… but why? When did everyone start drawing a line between their real life and their social media life? Why can’t they be one in the same?

The short answer to those questions: the judgement I mentioned. It’s impossible to escape in the “perfect” world of Instagram. Trust me, my life is FAR from perfect. And I don’t think I’d be making a huge leap to say that most of the girls who you follow don’t have perfect lives either. Yes, you’re bombarded with pictures of clothes and travel and restaurants and all of the things to be jealous of – but all of those girls are still just people. Like you, like me.

And the most deceptive part? Those girls work their asses off to get to where they are and to be able to do the things they get to do and have the things they get to have. Supporting yourself on Instagram is no. joke. when it comes to the work you have to put in. I should know – this is my passion project that I work day and night for, but I also have a full-time, 9-5 job that supports my daily life.

The moral of the story? Instagram isn’t about real life anymore – it’s about content creation. Key word: creation. It isn’t real. Like I’ve said before, my Instagram is about showing the little things in my life that I find beautiful. It’s curated, it’s styled, it’s by design. Once you let yourself in on that fact, you can stop comparing your life to the grids you scroll through and the pictures you double tap. Live your life, share what you love, and don’t worry about getting caught up in the perfection.

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