How to Use Instagram in a Joyful Way

If you don’t know, I’m back on Instagram (“IG”) @paigeschmidt. I decided in January to take a year off, took 3 months off, and am now giving myself permission to reevaluate.

Is it possible for me to get all of the benefits I felt while being OFF IG and also reap my favorite benefits of being ON? I’m experimenting, and sharing with you today how I’m finding joy using this app, showing up as the woman I want to be.

Listen to the Full Episode

You know how in Intuitive Eating there is something called the Food Police? It’s Principle 4 and those interested in learning and practicing Intuitive Eating are encouraged to challenge the Food Police thoughts they may be hearing in their head. The Food Police condemns you for “breaking” food rules and produces so much shame.

I think there is such a thing as the Instagram Police. A voice in your head that tells you being perfect with IG boundaries is a requirement or else you.are.a.failure. The Instagram Police may even try to sell you the lie that, “Why even bother having boundaries with social media if you can’t implement them perfectly? What’s that going to do for you?” Both the Food and Instagram Police went to perfection academy, I do believe!

I’m here to tell you imperfectly trying to heal your relationship with IG still counts! On the latest podcast episode (episode #65, linked below) I share tips that I’ve recently started doing that have been helpful… even though I haven’t been perfect with them! Just like eating SOME veggies is going to benefit your body, so will having SOME boundaries with IG (yes, even if executed imperfectly!).

Tell me, do you have social media rules you follow rigidly until you don’t? Then maybe a binge or “overeating” episode of scrolling happens? Kinda like when you find yourself overdoing it on the ice cream after a period of crazy restriction?

What if it didn’t have to be an all or nothing thing? What if there was another option than either being off social media for good or going on it way too much and binging? What if we could use social media intuitively, just like we can learn to eat intuitively? What if it didn’t have to be a “we avoid cookies all together or we eat eight cookies” sorta thing?

What we want to do isn’t always the easiest choice, that’s why we sometimes find ourselves doing what we don’t want to (the easier choice). Our Inner Rebel can come out loud and say “take the path of least discomfort! That’s the right choice!”.

But do the easiest choices in life always leave you feeling good? I don’t know about you, but I want to have choice over IG, not let it have choice over me.

I want to:

• Go on IG with intention, fueled not out of fear but by fun and inspiration! I want to make choices (even if they aren’t the easiest always) so I feel like the woman I want to experience life as.
• Learn how to use IG in a way that feels awesome to me, fun!
• Intentionally notice what habits feel good and which ones don’t with IG, with no judgment when I pick that not so great feeling choice.
• More often do the feel good options with IG (like not bringing my phone to bed and decompressing others ways end of day).
• Use IG how it works for me and be okay if I’m doing it “all wrong” according to how the experts would say I should use IG for my business.
• Make the algorithm mad with my usage if that means making me present in my one life!
• Ditch the IG rules, just like I’ve ditched the Diet Culture food rules and never looked back!

Don’t feel like posting for a month? That’s allowed here and now.

Don’t want to plan out ahead all my content for three months, like other business owners do? That’s okay!

What if I lose followers? No worries, I don’t make the numbers mean anything about me.

What if I don’t get many comments or likes? That’s fine, as long as I shared authentically and with a heart to serve value to you, that’s success in my eyes!

I encourage you to continue leaning into this topic by tuning into the podcast this week.

What You’ll Learn from this Episode:

• What I’ve specifically started implementing when it comes to how I use IG
• Why I’m celebrating and not feeling defeat about not going a full year off IG as my original goal stated

Mentioned in this Episode:

• Sign up for the free lesson: 3-Secrets to Make Prioritizing Yourself Easier
• Connect with Paige on Instagram: @paigeschmidt
• Want to work with Paige? Start Aligned Coaching today.

Love the podcast?

• Follow on Spotify or Apple so you never miss an episode
• If you listen on Apple, please rate and review (it really makes a difference!)