If there ever could be a mantra aligned with the paradigm “Too Much of a Good Thing,” this would be it: in this day and age of Instagram perfection, and social media amplifying motivation to be leaner and healthier to the point it’s an obsession, it’s possible constructive self-care can turn out to be a negative thing - especially when it comes to self-esteem, body dysmorphia, and overall mental wellness.
This Is Often Where Your Personal Wellness Coach May Cut You Off on Ritualism
A wellness routine is a great thing to have -- to a degree, and up to a certain point. Go overboard on it, and you might find it stresses you out more than it optimizes your health. The key to good health isn’t necessarily about structure as it is about simplification.
You’re not racing a race just to get to the finish line - and health is the same way. There is no finish line. There is only the journey.
But the feeds on Instagram overwhelm the floodgates from a visual standpoint - from super-healthy meals, meal prep inspiration, bodybuilders to instamodels, mombods to curve models, hashtag trends, etc etc. Thanks to social media, people are more about showing how they’re living their happiest, healthiest life, when health is supposed to be a personal journey enriched with fulfillment and accomplishment.
Your health should be just for you -- not social media.
Don’t Get Us Wrong -- Social Media Is Motivating
Nothing’s more motivating than posing for a selfie after you’ve hit the gym. There’s some pride to be had for hitting goals you have set for yourself. But there is a line in the sand your wellness coach may not want you to cross - in order to keep you steady and on track.
No one’s to blame for this, really; not even social media. The industry boom brought with it a load of options, and opportunities for the fitness aficionado to expand their reach and have greater influence over those following them. Whether or not they’re as passionate about fitness as them.
Social media has a tendency to focus so much on end results, that the options become too much to properly filter and understand. You may not achieve the results you want, as a result of confusion, muddled interpretations, or simply poor advice not relevant to your own wellness journey.
The new data really doesn’t lie - the global wellness industry has exploded by more than 12%, expanding from $3.7 trillion to $4.2 trillion in revenue. Everyone, essentially, is interested in fitness and health right now. With that interest comes the calvary of new companies, products, trends, fads, and fanatics with all the latest ideas and products.
You May Actually Notice That We’re Tending to Trend to a Simpler Time
In a Way, When You’re Trying to Take Care of You, You Risk Forgetting About...You
Think about the back-to-basics mentality. In general, this may be one of the best benefits to one’s health, because it should remind us to work towards being healthier, happier, and wealthier-minded versions of ourselves. But oftentimes we place ourselves on too high a pedestal, and fall prey to displaced expectations that are different from one person to the next.
Social media can bring a lot of joy, where we can strengthen our connections through support groups and close networks of friends, family, and colleagues - and it’s so very easy to lose ourselves vicariously through the lives of others. So we should be mindful, and careful to avoid allowing the choices and perceptions of others shadow, let alone damagingly influence, our very own.