Hey internet friends! Today’s post is called Confessions of an Instagram (IG) addict because over the past 6 years I have been obsessed with this platform as a method of sharing my life, stories about experiences, and now my business.
It’s funny to think how this platform started, as sharing only photos and connecting with close friends, which quickly amplified and built into a place where so many people can make new insta-friends and connect in new ways.
Here’s my list of confessions as to why I love this platform so much, and all of the progress I feel I’ve made because of my obsession with instagram.
Confession # 1 Extrospection
In this digital world, as a child growing up in the 90s I remember being on the computer all the time. My favorite site was one where you could dress a doll and choose different outfits for these cute girls, along with neopets, and other websites designed for the 90s child.
My favourite part of the new instagram is the stories, live videos, and IGTV section. This is a new feature, coming to us only about a year or two ago. There have also been many updates after the integration of Facebook and instagram, as well as WhatsApp.
Instagram offers me a chance for significant extrospection because of these live videos. Extrospection is viewing yourself from an external point of view, usually within videos or voice notes, or other forms in which I can see how I look and what I’m saying visually.
Extrospection is the opposite of introspection where I would reflect internally through writing about my experience, as the external reflection allows me to see how I show up and what I look like while showing up. It also offers a different kind of self-reflection because it’s similar to mirror work in the way I can see myself.
Over the past 3 weeks, I’ve been producing videos on various topics, usually done live, as to practice my improv skills and think better on my feet. I found that this method of self reflection is really powerful in changing how I see myself as a physical body, thinking mind, and embodied spirit.
Confession # 2 Insta Friendships
I remember in University, my very first dorm party, I met this girl, and we were both super new to the party scene. We were talking and drinking for probably the first time, and we just connected instantly, and I called her my insta friend.
I never saw her again until my second year of university. By some coincidence she was in the same building as me on a different floor. I ended up with her floor leader in the cafeteria because my floor leader wasn’t on campus yet.
I recognized her and she recognized me, and I remember how instant the connection was once again. We became friends and ended up living together in my third year of living on campus.
The point of telling this story is to show how instantly you can connect with someone in real life. I’ve also made these connections through Instagram, where I’ve met my Arbonne coach, my soul sister who is an intuitive healer coach, and connected with many other people because of this app.
I also told the story above to remind us that insta friends aren’t only made on Instagram but also made in real life, and those connections are made through energy, vibration, and mutual interests, not necessarily the app itself.
Confession # 3 Identity Formation
The first photo I ever posted to my IG account was of me and my friends who are twins. I lived with them in my first year of university, and continued the friendship throughout our time at Carleton.
Every time I would look through my instagram I would acknowledge the changes in my own identity formation throughout the years of pictures on my profile.
This year, I was working alongside a business coach who suggested I redo my profile and start fresh. With their advice, I archived all the photos I had posted, and essentially removed my old identity in order to create space for a new one.
I probably wouldn’t have done this without his advice, but I trusted his judgement more than my own. I truly believe though, that doing this allowed me to begin recreating who I want to become on instagram, and within the application’s community.
It’s one thing to want to keep your past identity, and it’s a whole other to begin building a new one.
Remember…
At the end of the day, instagram is an application where people are sharing their experiences, stories, businesses, and other parts of their life.
I was interviewed for a book on the future of sports recently, and he asked me about if COVID-19 may change the way we connect with others, and I agreed. I also said that I think we are going to transition from external connection to internal connection, through sharing.
So instead of going out to a bar for my birthday, I’ll share some parts of the event with my network on instagram, and the connection will come from the act of sharing what I choose to share with those who are looking at my profile.
Hope you enjoyed reading today’s post about my IG confessions!
With love and light,
~~~ stay true stay weird ~~~
~ xo Kristi