Authentically Me?

One of the Facebook content strategies recommended in this week's chapter is to be authentic. This got me thinking about my social media presence and whether or not I am authentic online. I try to make it a rule to always post the things that make me happy. I enjoy taking pictures of my friends, family and even myself. With that in mind I would say I’m authentic. However, I often have to take many pictures of myself before I am happy enough with them to post. I usually won't post a picture if my hair or face looks weird. I even occasionally apply a filter or retouch a photo before posting. This led me to wonder if my audience is seeing the authentic me. 

From a young age I was taught the value of beauty. This was often shown to me in the form of actors and celebrities. From that distance this form of beauty didn't seem so harmful. As I grew older I started to see the “beauty standard” around me in the form of my peers at school. It felt like
I was constantly surrounded by teenagers obsessed with mirrors and makeup. They were hung up on that forced definition of beauty that we learned when we were so young. I am no exception. I feel myself giving in to it too and worrying about how I look or how other people look. Instead I should be focusing on what I believe to be the true meaning of the word: authenticity. The authentic beauty of a child playing with a doll and not caring about how they may look. The authentic beauty of a hug from a stranger after a long day. The authentic beauty of a group of teens praying for a sick little boy they've never met. Humans at their most beautiful are humans at their most vulnerable and genuine selves. 

Now when I look in the mirror I try to focus not on my physical appearance. Instead I ask myself to think about the authentically beautiful moments I've had that day. I ask myself not if my face was pretty today, but if my mind was. This has helped me to live my life more happily and healthily. I wish the true definition of beauty had been taught to me all those years ago. I say all of this as I am about to enter one of the most superficial industries. There are days when all I find myself doing is comparing myself to the prevalent beauty standards. I sometimes find it hard to be confident. I have found that the days when I feel like I am meeting the standard have nothing to do with how I look on the outside but everything to do with how I feel on the inside. These are the parts of my life that I want to do better at presenting on social media. I think if more people made an effort to be more genuinely authentic on social media the world could be a better place.