As you may or may not know I blog about fashion, beauty and lifestyle as well as the random posts, statuses and tweets about gossip and current events. When blogging I talk about the clothes, shoes and accessories I wear, the makeup and beauty products I use, the foods I eat, what I drink, the events I go to, the places I visit and just the lifestyle I lead. Through this I'm basically promoting certain brands, cafes, restaurants, bars, clubs, music artists, TV shows and films, but that's generally what we all do through social media. Whether we know it or not we're promoting something. That hashtag you use, the location you add, the tagging of certain accounts or the attaching of photos and videos, you're promoting something in someway.

There are quite a few bloggers, vloggers, or even both, most of which are promoting for a monetary sum or and this has become a regular occurrence. A lot of public figures are promoting something and get paid for it, this adds a little incentive to the time you spend publishing a blog post or vlog. And you know why this happens? Because it works, it's influential, it even helps you choose what to buy or what not buy. Yes. At times photos of someone wearing a product they're promoting might be staged. That beauty product might work for them but not you. That makeup looks freaking fantastic because the lighting is on point. That person may have been paid to promote that product you saw, tried or purchased, that show or film you watch, or those places you visit, but in the end it's their choice to do so. If they hate the lifestyle or believe it to be fake, then be more honest with your readers, viewers and/or followers when promoting something, or tell the brand that you wish to promote it in a certain light so you're still being yourself.

I know that when I'm blogging I am completely honest with my readers, subscribers followers when I publish a blog post, tweet, post a status, photo or video or anything like that. So hearing about a person speaking out about how social media and the people who use the platforms are completely fake, really struck a nerve with me. Social media is not to blame for someone being fake, the way you use the platforms is to blame.


So you've spent too much time using social media? That was your choice. So you want everyone to "like" you and your posts and/or videos, so you want people to retweet your tweet, share your post or comment on posts, statuses and so on? Most of us seek social approval in some shape or form. So you want readers, viewers, followers and/subscribers on every platforms your on? There are some who want to feel popular, gain and maintain attention from people out in the world and feel needed. This doesn't make you self-absorbed or vain, it just makes you human.

Yes, there will always be people on social who will be fake, this occurs in the real world too and I think people forget that the real world is just like social media, being that there's a hierarchy and a social standard.

If social media consumes you in a negative way, makes you feel negative about yourself and/or your appearance leading you to compare yourself to others, creates the notion in your head that likes, retweets, followers and such define you and your worth, and generally just turns you into something you're not, then I suggest you either take a break or quit social media for however long you need, or even just talking to someone can help.

Although social media and technology generally has disconnected us, I don't believe it's created the notion that we have to be perfect or present ourselves in a certain way, this has always been a way of life but social media has just amped it up to a whole new level. It's your choice in how you want to present yourself in both your life and on social media, just don't drag everyone else who uses social media to make you look better or make others sympathise with you because of your mishaps and decisions on platforms, in the end they were entirely yours to make. It was your decision and yours alone to sign up and form your path.

Just remember that social media is a positive thing when you use it right and be yourself. Social media is a powerful tool that a majority of us utilise. These platforms allow us to raise awareness about certain topics, it spreads the word about certain interests and most of all it allows us to communicate our thoughts, feelings and so much more with people from around the world.

Don't forget to enjoy your life and the experiences you face, they help you grow and become a better person. And don't tell anyone who you can and can't be, what you can and can't do, just be you.