Inspiration! A teen Instagram star quits

This story has been making the rounds for the past week, but in case you've missed it: an 18-year-old Instagram star has quit social media and edited the captions to all her photos to reveal how fake they were.  She describes her life as being "lost, lonely, and miserable."  Now her Instagram account is shut down and she has started a website called Let's Be Game Changers.

Okay, so I am not on board with blaming Instagram (or other social media) for all our woes.  They are simply tools that we use to our benefit or detriment (or probably a mixture of both).  If we are insecure in ourselves or vulnerable to pressure then yes, it will become a big problem.  It's not that way for everyone.

What I find inspirational in this is that she was able to A) recognize that she was living a lie and it was making her miserable, B) do something to change it, and then C) use her platform for more positive change.  A lot of people can't do that.

The inspiration here isn't to throw out Instagram or to judge everyone who uses it for fame.  The inspiration is to be aware, in our own lives, of the things we participate in, why we're doing it, where we're getting validation from, and what that is doing to us.

While the cynic in me could say that she's still seeking attention, just a more positive kind of attention, it also doesn't matter.  Even if she continues to be famous as a result, she will also help a lot of good causes in the meantime.

LET'S TALK ABOUT SOMETHING MORE IMPORTANT THAN ME, please?
from Essena O'Neill on Vimeo.