The Social Media Cleanup

UNFOLLOW EVERY ACCOUNT THAT DOESN’T MAKE YOU BETTER.

BY ALLISON OKUNEYE

Insecurities, we all have them. Some are self induced, others are generational gifts from our family, and some are brought on by mom, or a savvy enough business woman, and I don’t feel the pressure to be the woman “doing it all flawlessly.” society. We can’t avoid feeling it completely, but we can control what we consume in regards to our social media accounts. Being intentional about the people we let into our social worlds can make a huge difference on our daily mood and overall sense of worthiness. I don’t typically wake up and instantly start feeling bad about myself. It can take only 5 minutes of scrolling Facebook or Instagram and the insecurity, mom guilt, and shame starts to creep in. Over the last year, I made a choice to unfollow ANY account (friend, family, acquaintance, or stranger) that was not adding value or positive energy in my life. Setting this boundary was a game changer. My social media became a place of joy, positive vibes, good energy and a bright spot in my day. It is no longer a daily reminder that I am not a good (or crafty) enough Even the Mom Blogger accounts that claim to be “authentic” and “transparent” and “hot mess moms” are still doing it all while having makeup/perfect messy bun/clean clothes/ showered all while taking photos of their kids that magically fall into their online aesthetic. What we forget in this socially connected world, is that we CAN have someone in our lives, and still NOT follow them on social media. It IS possible to be friends in real life, and NOT on Facebook. Having a relationship with someone DOES NOT MEAN you also have to subscribe to their 2AM thoughts. I know this may seem harsh, drastic and controversial and in doing this I have had to have that awkward conversation about if and why I unfollowed. My response has been this,

HOW DO I KNOW WHAT ACCOUNTS ARE GOOD FOR ME?

Does this account post content that encourages, inspires, and energizes me? Does this account make me feel bad about myself? Is this account using my insecurities to sell a product? (Frequently uses buzz words like, “boss babe”, “financial freedom”, “supportive community”, “build your own business”, etc.)

“Yes I did unfollow on social media, the (political/emotional/negative/argumentative/mom guilt/constant sales) posts were just too much. No hard feelings, I just had to minimize and be more intentional with the content I am consuming”. Guess what? The world didn’t end. Solid relationships are still fully intact, and my social media is now a more positive and fun place to be! My hope is that you find the courage and confidence to set boundaries for yourself and choose to follow accounts and people that are adding value to YOU, and encouraging you to grow! Don’t forget that giving someone unfiltered access to your free time and mental space is an HONOR. You should be selective about who and what has access to that space. Stay fearless, and SELECTIVE friends!! ,