In the gladiator arena of judgment and narcissism that is social media, it is hard to enjoy platforms for what they were initially intended to be; a place to share cool pictures, quotes and to connect with friends. Over the years, Instagram has morphed into a business place; somewhere that companies pin ads to encourage you to buy their product. The rise of ‘influencers’ created a kaleidoscopic tapestry of perfect bums and unrealistic beauty standards. Now, there is a new wave emerging in an effort to reclaim Instagram as a creative platform; that new wave is called ‘Casual Instagram’. 

I am guilty of honing and editing my Instagram into perfection. I used to time my posts so that they would garner the most attraction. I only posted what I thought my followers wanted to see: cool outfits, bikini pics and an array of photos from nights out when I always looked my best. Now, I have begun making it casual and loving it. You can too, in a few easy steps.  

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Step number one:

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Stop giving a sh!t. Instagram feeds off of our insecurities and tries to sell us products or lifestyles that will ‘help’ us. You need to stop caring, stop hating and stop shaming. Accept yourself for all your beautiful flaws and imperfect perfections. This is easier said than done, but there are plenty of articles out there, as well as self-help books and positive social media feeds that can help. May I suggest Jameela Jamil’s ‘I Weigh’ account? It’s full of body positivity, it’s my one-stop place for a confidence boost or reality check.   

Step number two:

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Pick your theme. This is not necessary, but most people like their feeds to look slightly put together. I enjoy saturating my photos beyond belief, upping the contrast and making the colours pop. Don’t edit it to look pretty; edit to make you happy. Be artistic with it, be strange.  

Step number three:

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Get posting! The key to making Instagram casual is to post what you want when you want. Buy a cute lunch in the local bakery? Post it! Take a fabulous picture of your cat where his little fluffy face is just too cute? Throw it up! The pictures can be of anything, anywhere. It’s not photography; it’s documenting your life, for you only.  

The wonder of making Instagram casual is that, now, people can’t see how many likes you have received if you don’t want them to. That means that the ‘liking anxiety’ is gone. So, go ahead, make your Instagram casual and enjoy social media for what it’s meant to be; a fun place to express yourself and connect, share memes and learn. Relax, enjoy and post!