Selfie Culture and Instagram Posting: Keep these Rules in Mind

Rampant posting of selfies has made many women more conscious of their looks, physique, and image. Here are some rules to keep in mind to help maintain a balance, healthy body image, and self-confidence. 

Set Boundaries for Yourself: Be intentional on how many selfies you will post per day or week, the number might be 1,2, or 3. Once you have set this goal and boundary for yourself, be consistent in following it and once consistent, maybe consider challenging yourself to go without posting any selfies for a certain amount of time to see how you feel.  

Reflect: In the moments one is not sharing their selfies and their lives on social media, an individual can begin to reflect why they are posting selfies on their social media. What is their hope or desire after they post the selfie? Which part of them is it coming from? What purpose is it serving for them? Is it to seek validation from others or of being seen, appreciated, and admired by others?  

If yes, with self-compassion, gently remind yourself that others opinions of you (and your pictures) are fleeting, the high with the “like” is instantaneous, and just as quickly, it passes. Ask yourself where you can begin to cultivate self-validation for yourself, this could begin by doing something that feels special for you, and that you intentionally don’t share with anyone else. There is usually a deeper reason, root cause, for when one is doing something repetitively, or when any action becomes a habit and it is not serving one in a fulfilling or meaningful manner, reflection of the “why” can lead to deep insights and personal breakthroughs. Reflect on the reason and begin to experiment with ways where you are giving yourself your own validation, acknowledgement, rather than seeking it outside of yourself.  

Self-Acceptance: Begin to cultivate the practice of unconditional self-acceptance, through practices such mindfulness, meditation, mirror-work, journalling, talk-therapy, or self-compassion exercises. Often times the yearning of taking and posting the perfect selfie is rooted in the desire for external validation, and when one begins to connect with oneself and cultivate the seeds of self-acceptance within, the effect can be little or no desire for craving the attention from others.   

(Credit: Madeeha Afridi, counseling psychologist at the LightHouse Wellbeing Center, Dubai)