Recently, there has been a sudden urge to manifest a healthy, positive environment for ourselves. While this is great and all, you can’t help but wonder if it’s genuinely something people are trying to attain or just another way of following the crowd. 

Who would have thought that wanting to attract positive outcomes for your life would become more of a fad than a lifestyle choice? 

As a result, social media has become flooded with videos and posts with advice on how to look and feel your best. It comes as no surprise that you start to believe validation comes from buying this magical skincare product or having shiny, luscious hair. 

What is not a part of these posts is that they are highly edited and rehearsed. You are therefore left to compare yourself to an image far from reality.  

Instead of reaping from the benefits, the desire and work towards cultivating a positive environment for yourself have simply become another trending topic that will soon be forgotten. 

While this can provide valuable information for those who need it, others consider it toxic positivity at its finest. 

In fact, new research from the Dove Self-Esteem Project found that 1 in 2 girls say toxic beauty advice on social media causes low self-esteem.

For years, Dove has championed broader definitions of beauty and taken steps to make social media a more positive place.

Now, with the Dove Self-Esteem Project, Dove spearheads the #DetoxYourFeed campaign to empower teens to define their own beauty standards and choose their own influences, inviting them to stop following anything that doesn’t make them feel good about themselves. 

Through a series of films, educational content and partnerships with inspirational voices, the campaign fosters necessary conversations between parents, caregivers and teens about the dangers of toxic beauty advice.

Here is how you can use these tools to curate a healthy digital environment in which you can thrive.

The Power Behind Unfollowing 

Many might think you are being a “hater” because you decided to unfollow them, but this is far from true. Choosing to unfollow certain pages and posts to have a positive self-image is completely worth it.

Don’t want to deal with the backlash of unfollowing your family member turned influencer? Not a problem! You can choose to hide posts from this individual or mute the posts, so your feed does not become flooded with things that rob you of your joy. 

Take Breaks 

Sometimes, you may not realize just how much you need a social media detox. You spend all your free time scrolling through Instagram, Tik Tok, and Facebook – the list is endless. 

While there is nothing wrong with indulging in social media every now and then, remember there is a whole real world out there for you to enjoy, not one plagued by false images of reality. 

Don’t waste away all your free time online. Take a break from your phone and do activities that bring you joy. Hang out with your friends, go to the beach, or have an unplugged weekend getaway.

And don’t spend that time away trying to take the perfect pictures for you to post later. Just take one or two photos and call it a day. 

Live in the moment as you did back in the 80s-90s when there were only disposable cameras. 

Follow Light-Hearted Content

While it is essential to stay informed, try not to flood your social media feed with hundreds of news outlets. 

Similar to unfollowing those pages that make you feel bad, focus on following pages that bring you joy. 

Find content that makes you laugh and smile. Follow a fellow Latina’s journey to grad school or the baby that dances by shimmying her shoulders. 

This summer, bring forth the best version of yourself by curating a digital environment that brings peace and harmony to your life.