Nairobi News

Social media trends are basically globalized peer pressure on steroids.

Slim thick bodies, six packs, ‘my life as an influencer’ being a YouTuber, knotless braids, lace front human hair wigs, certain styles of dressing, certain brands of mobile phones and vehicles, living in a certain address, having a certain style of interior decoration (team all white with a touch of wood, we see you), fake nails and lashes, ‘socialite tenderprenuership’, opening certain types of businesses, identifying as a member of the queer community, identifying yourself based on your ‘people’ preferences, becoming socialites, being kept misters and mistresses living the soft life and living a jet set life are just but a handful of the many things people portray on social media.

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No social media platform is short of these people who set ‘standards’ and often look down on people who do not measure up to them. And what’s even more noticeable is the lack of morality in some of these social media trends. We live in an era where morality walked out the door to usher in fame and the soft life- often lived at the expense of somebody else. Young impressionable minds heavily consume these content and look up to these people as role models while those who believe they know better still find themselves influenced in one way or another by what they see on social media.

So then, how can you ground yourself in light of these fast social media trends that will definitely cost you money, energy and mental health?

1. You can work on consistently going on a digital detox- You’ve often seen your faves saying they are going on a social media break, maybe as a tctic to keep their followers hooked on them or as a genuine break from all the work involved. If they can go on a break from you, why can’t you also go on a break from them? The idea here is that you should dedicate specific days on which you disconnect from social media entirely and use this time to physically reconnect with humans in the real world. Get to know your neighbor and friends beyond their 60-word social media posts.
2. Focus on offline activities- You can also take this time away from social media to focus on yourself and do things which you couldn’t do due to spending too much time online. Go on that trip and don’t post about it online. Go because you want the adventure, not to show people that you go on #roadtrips because its a Thursday. Incorporate mindfulness techniques into your daily routine as well. Take moments to be fully present and aware- whether it’s during a walk, a meal or simply taking deep breaths to reduce screen-induced stress.
3. Be selective with who you follow- Not every influencer is worth your time, not every celeb is worth your follow and not every friend is worth your energy. Be mindful of the accounts you follow and the content you consume. Unfollow or mute accounts that create negativity or stress in you. Focus on accounts that inspire, educate or entertain you positively.
4. You must also set boundaries for your social media use. Your routine must stop being waking up, switching off the alarm and taking two laps around all the social media apps on your device. You must chose specific times for when you will check all your feeds, respond to what needs correspondence and stick to them. Avoid over-scrolling because this leads to social media addiction as well as eye and attention span problems.