February 28th, 2019
Today marks the 1 year anniversary of Remixed by Tal. I’ve learnt a lot and still have a lot to learn. And now that Instagram has become so crucial to business growth, I'm realizing how much we've managed to merge social media and real life into the same category.
YES, I realize we all are very aware of the dangers of social media. The lessons get repetitive and the last thing I want to do is write a pointless, preachy blog post.
BUT… at the beginning of my creative journey, there are people I looked up to on social media. Now, after meeting them in person, it’s those same people that I made a goal not to end up like.
Everyone’s values are different so I would never knock another person’s steps of choice to get to where they need to be because it isn’t my place to do so.
It's just getting to the point where instead of creating a collective community and being supportive of one another, we’re just caught up in competing for likes, followers, collabs, etc. Then after all that effort we put into finding best fit, setting up the perfect photoshoot with a professional photographer and posting the most fire photo with a witty caption, you go back into real life and what are we really doing but scrolling and refreshing our likes on that SAME PHOTO. It’s like an endless content loop.
I’m not saying that I don’t meticulously plan out my photo posting like a crazy person or look at my own stories all the time to make sure the content flows perfectly because I do. I love creating new content, getting feedback via followers, generating conversations, and so on. Instagram is a brilliant tool. But now we're using it as a way to build ourselves a fake virtual self. It’s not even like it’s weird to false advertise anymore. As long as the content is good, your engagement is up, everyones happy. At this point who even cares about your real relationships when your Instagram relationships look so awesome?
I’ve been told so many times that I need to get my followers up and YA I went to business school as well as LIFE school so I know the importance of followers when running a business but I can safely say that I am not, and will never be ashamed of the amount of followers I have. It’s just not something on my list of superficial things that makes me feel insecure. There are definitely other insecurities but that is not one of them!
Don't get me wrong I know so many people with tons of followers and crazy content that are just as amazing, inspiring, KIND and authentic in real life as they are virtually. I've just taken some notes throughout my many encounters and I'm trying to land in that same sweet spot where my virtual self and real self are one in the same! I never want someone to meet me and say... "Well that's not what I expected..."
* Quick shoutout to every SINGLE female on the All Star weekend trip with Nike. You've all shown me that it is possible to get 20+ great hearted, genuine, fun, talented people together to create an unforgettable experience together. Before that trip, I was so insecure about fitting in and thought that I'd have to mould and refine my personality for the occasion. I quickly realized that I could get along with all of these different personalities while being my exact self. Thank you for helping me to be so comfortable in my own skin!
Anyways, * Beware of rant beyond this point:
If I admire what someone is is doing, I will make it known and I will consider it as inspiration, not as competition. Furthermore, I would never try and sabotage another persons reputation, copy someones work and try and claim it, or blatantly use someone to get ahead. If you see someone progressing, know that they pride themselves on their hard work, and when your reaction to their success is just plain bitter or non-supportive, it’s better to have no reaction at all because that person will notice. When I see people break through barriers in Toronto I get emotional and I’m overwhelmed with happiness for them. Literally, I’ve shed tears for people doing big things in the city who I’m not even friends with. If you don’t feel good when you see others around you moving forward then you need to revaluate yourself.
Ladies! We're finally in the midst of our entrepreneurial era let's not ruin it for ourselves with the petty competition.
* Alright, end of rant. Phew!
Anyways, after thinking a lot about why we act this way, I’ve tied it back to social media (of course lol!). I just think that we only know people on a social media level now rather than on a real level. So we see and treat them like an object of Instagram rather than a person with a heart and soul. Maybe we only see ourselves on an Instagram level now too without even noticing it? All I’m saying is, truth always prevails and fakeness can only be upheld for so long.
In contrast, if it wasn’t for social media, I wouldn’t have known that there are people out there who like my work. So I’m incredibly grateful to have a platform where I can share my creations and experiences with others and to be inspired by others in return. Let’s just try for a few hours a day to take a break from our Instagram selves, and spend some time with our real selves!
Of course all of this only applies to who it applies to. If you don't even care for Instagram then I applaud you.
To conclude, I’m not claiming to know anything about anything, I’m just sharing my thoughts and reflections on my first year in business where my social media game is really starting to matter! Hopefully some of you can relate or gain a new perspective. Even if you don't relate let me know your thoughts!
If you got this far, thanks for reading. :)
Tal
Thank you for writing such a piece. You are right, sometimes we do get lost in the realm of Instagram that we tend to forget that there is much more to life and relationships than likes and followers.