You should define beauty, not the pictures you post on social media

Social media has promoted an ideal image of men and women, establishing a beauty standard. Young girls have begun to reject their own bodies. To align with the standards set by social media, they use Photoshop to alter their bodies, making themselves appear taller and slimmer while concealing stretch marks. A young girl scrolling through her Instagram might see a model or actress whose photo has been extensively edited by professionals. Upon seeing such an image, she might aspire to look like that person, desiring a similar body or face. In pursuit of such a body, she might skip meals without understanding the consequences or feel guilty for eating too much. Young girls like me often believe this is what perfection looks like. However, people forget that no one is perfect. Even those seen on Instagram have flaws. It often takes around 200 photos to capture that one perfect shot. Out of those 200, one is selected, and the chosen picture undergoes several processes before being uploaded:

1. Fixing marks on face

2. Adjusting the background

3. Adjusting the contrast and brightness

4. Checking whether the picture will go with the theme of their feed or not

5. Zooming and checking to make sure everything looks perfect

6. Rethinking whether the picture is worth uploading or not.

7. Checking and rechecking how many likes came, comment and who liked their pictures

Consider the time invested in posting a single picture. This doesn't imply that I don't use Instagram. However, the actions I take while posting pictures on Instagram are quite minimal. For instance, I often enjoy posting pictures. Since I'm already discussing this topic, let me outline what I typically do. Here are the usual steps I follow.

Constantly checking like and comments

using apps like huji, snapseed RNI films and VSCO to edit and VSCO to take and edit pictures

Taking 100 pictures and carefully thinking which to post.

Adjusting brightness and contrast is something I normally do

My approach to posting pictures is confined to what is depicted in them. However, I make it a point not to alter my body to appear flawless. I don't conceal the marks on my face. If you browse through my Instagram photos and examine them closely, you'll notice my imperfections. When taking pictures, if the marks on my face are visible, I genuinely don't mind. Yet, if by chance these scars don't appear in the photos due to various reasons, excluding filters, I'm also fine with that. But this doesn't mean I prefer hiding my scars. As I grow older, I've come to embrace my face and body. As a child, though, I was always hesitant about being photographed. I believed only pretty girls should take pictures. Whenever I had to be in photos, I wanted it to be over quickly. I thought I looked unattractive in pictures and avoided them because of the chickenpox marks on my face. Looking back, I regret not taking more photos. I think I missed out on capturing memories. I thought taking pictures was pointless because I disliked seeing myself in them. It was the most embarrassing feeling. Imagine a child barely 11 years old thinking that seeing herself was embarrassing. If you ask me what I would change about the past, I would say feeling proud of who I was and who I will become. I'm sharing this because we often use social media to project an image that doesn't reflect our true selves.

Instagram is a world where people enjoy sharing stories, often with a filtered perspective. It is also a platform where individuals can portray a life they don't actually lead.

The major issue now is that social media has redefined beauty. A person's beauty must be validated by social media standards. Instead of assessing beauty based on kindness, personality, and a smile, social media evaluates it by how thin your thighs are, the photo editing apps you use, how frequently you socialize, the clothes you wear, and how your final Instagram photo appears.

In life, I believe you should always pursue activities that bring you joy. If frequently uploading pictures makes you happy, then go for it. However, remember to appreciate your body along the way. Let me remind you once more, nobody is perfect. Even the billionaire's daughter you see enjoying herself on your explore page has her own imperfections. They only share their joyful moments and keep the sad ones private. There's nothing wrong with that; they have the right to choose what to keep private and what to share with the world.

Therefore, don't be deceived by the misconception that everything you see on Instagram is the absolute truth. Keep in mind that if someone has something, you possess something else. No one can have everything. This is how the earth and the human cycle were designed. So, you should find contentment in what you have.