Did you know that 42% of Instagram users check their accounts multiple times per day? Are you one of them? Hopefully scrolling through Instagram is a nice reprieve from your daily tasks. But for many people, it’s easy to get caught up in following accounts that leave you feeling inadequate and overwhelmed rather than relaxed. Seemingly perfect influencers and the onslaught of negative news bursting through your phone every day can feel like too much to handle sometimes.
Making a few tweaks to the kinds of accounts you follow can make all the difference between your feed sparking joy or frustration. That’s why we’ve compiled 6 accounts and hashtags you can follow to spice up your feed and hopefully lift your mood.
Photoshop: For a bit of fantasy.
You’ve heard of photoshop but maybe you’ve never actually used it before. Well, regardless of your graphic design skills their account is one worth following. The @photoshop account features some of the best (and often whimsical) photoshop projects artists have been working on each month.
They also include tutorials from time to time in the copy for those of you who are looking to expand your social media skill set.
Holly Fox: For a pop of color.
Did you know that different colors affect your mood? So why not brighten your mood each day with carefully crafted, colorful photos of cookies? The @hol_fox account is guaranteed to supply a series of colorful cookie creations to your feed.
After just a quick peek at a few of her posts you will see that she maintains a consistent and well branded feed so you know what you’re getting into when you hit that follow button. Whether it’s a Pacman themed post or football shaped cookies on Superbowl Sunday, this delicious art will be sure to spice up the color palette of your Instagram feed.
Charity Water: For a dose of hope.
The world has seen some dark days but you’ll still see a lot of positive changes happening if you keep your eyes open to them. The @charitywater account documents their effort to make clean water available to people in developing countries.
Each image is brimming with hope and paired with a caption that will inspire you, educate you, or both. Some captions share specific stories of areas of the world that are now benefiting from clean water as a result of their efforts. It’s also an uplifting reminder to be grateful for things we normally take for granted, like getting clean water from a tap.
Resilient Blog: For consistent motivation.
We could all use an extra dose of motivation and the @resilientblog can help with that! This account is the solution to your need for more positivity in your feed. When the Resilient Blog posts pop up in your feed you’ll want to slow your scrolling a bit to read the new uplifting message. A fresh well-designed message gets posted every other day.
Positive affirmations can be a helpful tool for boosting your mood and improving your mindset. Filling your social media feed with encouraging phrases helps you start a new habit of reading an affirmation every day by attaching it to your old habit of checking Instagram.
Weekly Fluff: For furry faces.
We all know the internet was invented so we could share cat videos with one another but it has since then expanded to make room for all of our favorite furry friends. Follow the hashtag #weeklyfluff if you are interested in seeing the day’s top photos of cats, dogs, rabbits, and the occasional exotic pet.
It’s been proven that interacting with dogs can increase your brain’s level of dopamine, oxytocin, and beta-endorphins. If interacting with a dog boosts your mood then looking at a photo of a pup once and a while is probably pretty good for you too! Enhancing your mood often enhances your efficiency so why not give it a try?
Opt Outdoors: For an adventure.
Maybe you’re craving adventure but unable to travel right now. Or maybe you are far away from your home by the ocean or mountains. Thanks to the internet and social media, there are still ways you can take in the beauty of the great outdoors.
Following #optoutdoors is a simple way to fill your feed with adventure-themed photos from all over the world. You might even find yourself saving a few posts to use for travel inspiration! It could also be the motivation you need to find a nearby trailhead and go for a relaxing nature walk. If you work from home, daily walks are a great way to “get out of the office” for a quick break.
Social media is a powerful tool for connecting with others and learning new things. With the challenging year we’ve had, it can be a good place to come together with other people who are facing the same challenges as you.
If you find yourself feeling worse about yourself and the world during your daily scroll, then it might be time to make some changes. Don’t be afraid to block accounts, hit that unfollow button, and start fresh in creating an online space that you enjoy being in.