Let's have a chitty chat about something that's been on my mind far too much lately... and thats the sea of sameness I see when scrolling on social media.
I have found myself getting so frustrated with social media in general and I know there are many others feeling that heavy energy + burnout when it comes to creating. And you wanna know what I think? I think we are all feeling it collectively because we have lost ourselves in the act of creating what the algorithm wants, what is trending, or what ChatGPT thinks is you next viral hit, and we have lost all sense of individuality in the process.
I scroll and it's the same CapCut templates flickering rapidly through your video clips, the same yellow font, or text templates. It's all DIML content making the same trendy coffees, going to TJ Max or Target, picking an outfit I've seen 100 different times on everyone else. Everyone looks the same, and it makes me feel so disconnected from humans in general.
I remember back when social media was fun and exciting. You never knew what you'd see on your fyp. Could be someone doing a dance trend, could be someone being silly like the classic vine days. Could be a someone talking about that super niche thing that you thought you were alone in. Now its all trends and ChatGPT scripts.. How could we not start to feel burnout?!
I've recently challenged myself to get back in tune with my sense of self because I started to actually forget who I am. I found myself creating what I thought would perform, talking polished and filtered, even shopping for clothes I would never typically wear because everyone wears the cute athletic sets from Aerie or wherever, and I didn't fit that mold.
I started tuning the noise out and asking myself, selfishly what do I want for myself in life? What gets me excited to create? How do I talk when no one is around? What do I wear when I'm not thinking of how others will see me? How would I present myself online if I knew everyone would like me no matter what? And honestly I didn't like the answer to that because it feels uncomfortable to go against the norm, but it's the real me.
Starting this new mindset shift has already felt like a breath of fresh air. Doing things that I find fun has relit a passion and desire to create again but not creating for a viral moment or gaining followers, but creating because it fuels me. Creating for an outlet. Creating because I want to and not because of results I may get from it.
So, if you have been in the same rut, consider this your sign to hike up your skirt and have the hard conversation with yourself. Because odds are, you are slowly melting into the same mold that everyone else is forcing themselves into, and you are losing the parts of you that make you YOU.
We've all unintentionally became fake AF without even realizing it. So please for the love of Taco Bell please retire the yellow fonts and the templates. Its better to be unaesthetic and authentic to you than it is to melt into a sea of sameness.
xo, Brittani
