The digital age can leave us awash with information. Sometimes, it’s helpful or desirable; often, though, we learn things we could do without. This exposure can happen without our noticing. Social media, for example, has a particularly potent yet subtle influence on our self-esteem and body image. The effect can be positive or negative, but it wouldn’t exist without all the posts and status updates we receive.
Certain people can be more vulnerable to the power of this information flood. It can amplify feelings of negativity and low self-esteem. If you’re lucky, maybe there’s only one specific insecurity you need to address. A targeted solution, such as lip filler or orthodontic procedures, can provide that missing confidence boost. But if more complex issues are weighing on you, there are no silver bullet solutions.
All the information and status pressure you receive when you go online creates a current that drags you down. How can you combat these influences and climb out of the well of negativity?
The power of perspective
People in search of self-help and improvement will often be told to think positively. It’s something we can quickly grasp with our minds, but it’s difficult to believe in its power. The reason is that merely dealing with an excess of negativity can make you feel truly hopeless.
To understand how perspective can help you, think about the term in the art sense. In art, the same subject can look different depending on how it’s viewed. Two images of the same person, one seen from above and the other from below, will create contrasting impressions. A bird’s-eye view makes the subject seem smaller and insignificant. A worm’s-eye view of the same subject makes them large, powerful, and intimidating.
You can probably see where this is heading. If you face your problems this way, you can change how you feel about them. Adopt the right perspective, and the same issues will no longer appear insurmountable.
But getting to that perspective is only partly about your imagination. You’ll also have to filter out the negative influences that obstruct your view. It’s time to curate your information feed. This can range from the extreme of completely disconnecting from the internet, or the more moderate steps of unfollowing various accounts and limiting your daily device usage.
Engage in different practices
By taking control of your perspective, you can begin to stem the tide of information and resist its effects. You’ll no longer feel tempted to compare yourself to others whose status in various aspects can be unrealistic or unattainable at the moment.
However, this doesn’t mean you should simply give up on your goals. If you’re overweight, for instance, it will be helpful to block ads or unfollow accounts that inundate you with images of models with perfectly toned bodies. That doesn’t mean you should also stop trying to live a healthier lifestyle.
Being free of status pressure and other negative influences should open you up to new practices. Accept who you are, and learn to love yourself unconditionally, but also recognize where genuine problems might lie and start addressing them at your own pace.
You can pursue physical fitness for its own sake, or go on a diet to improve nutrition. Try to engage in many different practices to find something that makes you happy. Rather than being concerned about what others think, enjoyment will inspire you to do the things that make you feel confident.
Harness positive feedback loops
When you begin to invest yourself in the right practices and approach things with a positive mindset, you’ll start to notice changes. You worry less about what others are doing. You cease using their status as a measure of your self-worth. If you’ve been tidying up or clearing out a backlog of tasks, you’ll notice your life is becoming more organized. If you’ve been exercising regularly and eating well, you’ll gradually approach a healthy weight.
No matter how you choose to improve, as long as you stick with it, you’ll make progress. But eventually, you might hit a plateau. The same workout routine yields diminishing returns. Countless small items are cleared from your to-do list, but the big ones remain.
Positive feedback loops will help you to break through and move past bigger obstacles. You want feedback from the right sources, which will add encouragement to your intrinsic motivation to improve. Engage with people you trust and connect with others who are growth-minded and can help you in your chosen activity. This will fuel you further on your path to becoming an ever-better, more confident version of yourself.
