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I was once an avid follower of influencers.
The outfits! The endless brunches! The unnecessarily large pool floats that you'd probably use once and then shove into the back of a closet, hoping it doesn't get too mildewed before you bring it out again next summer!
I was in love with all of it, turning to the magic of influencer posts when my closet felt drab and my life felt uninspired. Seeing so many trends fueled my need to shop. Sad after a breakup? Time to buy an off-the-shoulder crop top like the one a makeup guru wore, so I could look cute for a photo that an ex mightsee while scrolling through Instagram. Bored on the weekend? Time to fill my living room with plants like ones my favorite vlogger had. Yes, all of these potted ferns were bound to die a slow and dry death due to my neglect, but they looked sogood in pictures.
SEE ALSO: Instagram on desktop is way better for being a creepWhen I was most invested in these accounts, I saw more mimosa Boomerangs on my Instagram feed than I saw my own friends. (That's not to say that my friends didn't post Boomerangs of their own mimosas, but thereisa difference between seeing people you know have a nice time and watching scenes from some gorgeous stranger's brunch.)
Not to get all Banksy here, but following all those influencers was exhausting. At one point, I hit a paradox of wanting to create a minimalist capsule wardrobe (I still haven't figured out how those fashion bloggers live with, like, one pair of pants) while also wanting to jump in on the colorful summer clothing travel bloggers were wearing. Apparently, minimalist influencers only wear white, black, navy, or sometimes maroon when they're feeling a little saucy. How are you supposed to reconcile that color scheme with being an actual human being?
I don't believe influencers are a scourge on society, or that their jobs are useless -- I admire their hustle. It's tough to juggle staying on top of trends, coordinating photoshoots, and landing brand deals all at once. But watching their beautiful lives unfold before me hit my self esteem. Watching their seemingly perfect existences made me stress about being perfect, too.
About a year ago I unfollowed almost all of these influencers, partly because my follow ratio was getting out of control, but mostly because social media shouldbe relaxing. If I want to be stressed, I'll go on Twitter. But if I'm in bed at 1 a.m. and scrolling through Instagram before falling asleep, I want to see things that make me feel calm.
Which is why I replaced all of the influencers I once followed with slime accounts.
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OK, not exclusively slime accounts. But I did make an effort to follow accounts that help me relax. Whether they're posts from wholesome advocates for kitten fostering or from accounts that share ridiculously niche memes, I enjoy my feed more when I see posts that make me laugh.
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View this post on Instagram
Following more relaxing accounts hasn't erased my insecurities completely, but it has made me less prone to impulse buying. It's allowed me to stay engaged with social media without being consumed by it.
If you find yourself, like me just a year ago, buying Glossier serums in bulk and taking hair growth gummy vitamins every day, maybe it's time to swap influencer posts for slime videos. Don't forget to turn up your volume for peak squish.
And believe me, my nightly Instagram scroll is exponentially better because of it.
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