5.30.20 // Selfies (Part 3)

I’ve had Instagram since 2013 (part 3).
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And since those early days, I’ve asked myself, "how many photos should feature me versus one of the beautiful places I've had the privilege of spending time in? Is there a limit on how many selfies are too many selfies? Will I be sending the wrong message if I chose to post myself?
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Over the past couple of days, I've written about 2 women who have incredible thoughts on selfies. Those thoughts have shaped the choices I make for what to post.
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However, as a recovering philosopher, one question kept popping into my head.
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Why do people opt into posting selfies? Why do I opt in to posting selfies?
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My why is that posting selfies on Instagram makes me feel connected and powerful.
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In a world that is increasingly disconnected, especially in days of social distancing, social media is a connection to the world.
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I am the main character of my own story, a story that has its ups and downs, a story that is full of vulnerability, of doubt, of poetry, of love.
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Instagram for me is a hobby, not a source of income. I run my Instagram as a diary chronicling the journey of a girl just trying to figure things out in an ever more messy world.
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Posting selfies is a fine line for me. Am I posting a selfie for external validation? Or do I just feel powerful and sexy in the photo I want to post and I want to share it because it makes me happy?
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My performance on posts featuring me does NOT determine my self-worth. If anything, (like I mentioned in my Part 1 post), posting selfies builds my confidence, which is something I struggle with.
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So, I'm wrapping up this thought experiment and I'd love to know your "why." Why do you post selfies?