Instagram Turns Ten: How it’s Changed Our Lives
Last month, Instagram celebrated its tenth birthday. Third only to YouTube and its big brother Facebook for user numbers, Insta or IG has come a long way from photos and hashtags to more recent additions like ‘IGTV’ and ‘Reels’. But just how has this billion-user strong App changed the way we view the world and ourselves?
Just how do we maintain positive self-esteem and wellbeing through the pressure of always capturing the ‘perfect image’ of ourselves? We’ve asked some of the Golddigger Trust team to share their own experiences of Instagram and their top tips for using it positively, plus got them to add their first IG post photos for your enjoyment! :)
Kate
“Archie the cocker spaniel puppy....! Sadly he was my housemate's and didn't come with me when I moved!”
What I use IG for now:
“I use Instagram mainly for sharing photos of what's going on in my life! I try to keep it real and share some of the honest tough stuff as well as the good stuff. I also seem to post a lot of photos of food...! I also use it to keep up with photos of family and friends and I'm quite creative and like to use it for following small creative businesses too!”
Top tip for using IG & maintaining positive self-esteem:
“I keep my Instagram followers quite small and private only really connecting with people that I know. My main tip is to remember that you are in control of what you fill your feed with. If anything makes you feel rubbish - you have the choice not to look at it! That goes for people that you know as well as people you don't. Try to make your scrolling experience a positive one - I also like to follow accounts which give positive tips and quotes for self care too! If anything shares something that makes me feel bad about myself I can ask myself the question - is this helpful for me to be looking at? If not the unfollow is only one click away!”
Andy
“I needed something to take a picture of when first experimenting with Instagram, and my own arm was the closest subject I could find! The word 'Selah' appears in the Hebrew Bible and loosely translates as 'pause', 'reflect' or 'connect'. For me it's a reminder to be mindful & appreciative of myself, my surroundings and the people in my life.”
What I use IG for now:
“So far, I've only made one 'Instagram' in 2 years, so it's safe to say I'm not an active poster! However, I do follow a lot of friends and family, and I use it regularly to see their posts. Life can get pretty busy and it's tough to keep in touch with everyone, so it's nice to see how people are doing, even if it's only in snapshots.”
Top tip for using IG & maintaining positive self-esteem:
“I think I help myself in that I almost exclusively follow people I know personally. I'm not seeing daily pictures of influencers or celebrities, or wishing I could have a life like the posts I see. And even though I don't post much, I definitely know one thing; the likes you get on a picture have nothing to do with how valuable you are as a person. 1 like or 1 million likes, you still matter just as much as anyone else!”
Alice
“This was my first Instagram post. There’s no text, just the picture. After all, they do say:
‘A picture is worth a thousand words.’”
What I use IG for now:
“At the start I played around a lot with some of the filters. Looking back through the photos I have posted they are mainly of my family, highlighting the highs and lows of family life, using a picture to tell the story rather than the text that went with it. As time went on, I stopped using filters so much (although I do enjoy a good Story fun filter!) as I wanted to capture real life and represent what was real at the time.
Photos I’ve posted on Instagram include various attempts at birthday cakes! Appreciating some sunshine during lockdown. Beginning my training for my first and possibly last 10k. Craft with my kids inspired by @thejoyjournal.”
Top tip for using IG & maintaining positive self-esteem:
“Be aware of who and what you follow, what is it bringing to your life? I didn’t begin following people other than friends and family until a few years ago. I pick people who INSPIRE me, INTEREST me, MOTIVATE me and INCREASE my self-esteem and wellbeing NOT decrease it. I’d definitely recommend @fearnecotton”
Naomi
What I use IG for now:
“For keeping up to date with friends and following positive accounts which encourage me including @i_weigh, @jameelajamilooffica, @goodnews_movement, @danaemercer, @bodyimagemovement, @alexlight_ldn.”
Top tip for using IG & maintaining positive self-esteem:
“Something I find helpful whilst using Instagram is to limit my time on it and take regular breaks from it. I enjoy using it, I love seeing the creativity of others through their photos and I love seeing what my friends are up to, especially those who are far away. However I know that if I spend too long on Instagram it can have a negative impact on the way I feel about myself or my life. I try to only be on all social media for a maximum on an hour a day and try to regularly take weeks off of it completely. That really helps me to ensure that it is having a positive impact and not a negative one.”
Hannah
“Sheffield 2011 - when I first started uni.”
What I use IG for now:
“Finding out what’s going on in Sheffield, following brands I like and keeping up with friends and family.”
Top tip for using IG & maintaining positive self-esteem:
“Try and recognise your habits when using social media, so what time of day do you tend to gravitate towards Instagram. For me it can be first thing in the morning or right before bed and it doesn't set my day up or sleep in the best way. I can come away with not feeling like I'm doing enough compared to others or spending money on things I don't need. I do love Instagram but the amount of time spent on it can be such a waste for me! Having a plan for my day helps this.”
James H
“This is my first and only Instagram image! It's a picture of some dice from years ago that I made for a prototype board game I'm making called Dive. I was really pleased with them and wanted to share it!”
What I use IG for now:
“I don't actually use Instagram apart from for the boys at Golddigger Trust (@wearemadeofmore). Apart from that, I don't even open the app!”
Top tip for using IG & maintaining positive self-esteem:
“I think the danger for me with apps like Instagram is that you can lose hours into just scrolling through endless pictures and videos. My self-esteem can be affected if I waste time like that and then feel bad about myself! Instead, I prefer to do things that leave me feeling better about myself, like having a laugh with my family, playing a video game that relaxes me or doing something that makes somebody else's day brighter.”
Mandy
“I took a picture of some MDF flags I was painting. I was so excited by the filters and the frames that I thought it was this magical app that could make even a boring photo look amazing. I don’t think anyone I knew was using Instagram yet so I expected no one would see it anyway! Weird picture- sorry Insta!!”
What I use IG for now:
“I use it like a diary of all the things I’ve done and special times in my life. I never delete posts because I like to look back to see when things happened, hair colours I’ve had, places I used to go etc. I post on my own stories and grid more than I scroll and look at other people actually.”
Top tip for using IG & maintaining positive self-esteem:
“Check up on your feelings when you are using it. If you feel sad, envious, like you’re missing out or pressure to be something you’re not then back away from it. It should be fun and enjoyable and a way to connect with others and see things that motivate and inspire you. If its not doing that for you then check you are following the right accounts for you, and change things up if you need to.
You can deactivate your account temporarily too - sometimes I do that just to give myself some time out, particularly when I’m going through a tough time. It takes the pressure off me feeling I have to put on a brave face and it means I’m not faced with things that might trigger me to feel upset or like I’m not good enough.”
Joe
“I've joined Instagram. I'm told it's for beautiful photos. #iambeautiful #nofilters”
What I use IG for now:
“I don't use my personal account any more as I didn't really like Instagram! I do however use it sometimes for my music page as it's a great way to connect with other bands and venues.”
Top tip for using IG & maintaining positive self-esteem:
“Don't take it too seriously.”
James R
“Moving back to Sheffield after a year living n Leeds.”
What I use IG for now:
“Mainly for work (Golddigger Trust IG page) and my work outside of the Trust, which involves photographing products of new sport equipment. I use my personal profile mainly for posting photos from trips I’ve been on (not so many photos of messy new rooms now!). But in truth I don’t use IG much at all on a personal level.”
Top tip for using IG & maintaining positive self-esteem:
“Before posting a status or a photo online, think about what your future-self would think about it… Is this just something you’ve written in the heat of the moment only to regret it in ten minutes time (or a while longer)? And are you still happy to post this, knowing that your whole social network can view it?”
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