I’m on Instagram a disgustingly amount of time since being in quarantine. Believe it or not, but I was on Instagram maybe an hour a day before this whole shit storm happened. But now that I’m grossly addicted, let me tell you about the cycle I put myself through.
First, I’ll discover an ~iNfLuEnCeR~ that I either think is super pretty, or has great style, or has a beautiful home, or all of the above. Then I get obsessed with their life, thinking that I need to completely do my makeup differently to be pretty like them, or that I need to buy new furniture and decor so that I can have a beautiful home, etc. I don’t even realize that I’m doing it until I find myself miserable and ungrateful at the end of the day. Like shit. Can I realize how beautiful my home is right now? It’s fully furnished and I share it with the love of my life. Can I appreciate my good health and that I’m lucky enough to be able to wear makeup and clothes? Can I appreciate how I’m fortunate to be able to afford items in order to survive? I know that maybe that sounds extreme but its the truth.
But somehow I think that buying this certain makeup product or new chair will fulfill my happiness because these beautiful influencers have it, and they look happy.
This is how I realized I was being brainwashed by these influencers:
I was taking a shower. Lol. And in my shower I have a window that I love to open to smell and feel the fresh air while the shower water is boiling hot. Just the way I like it. I took a moment to realize how much I love this window in my shower and how much joy it brings to me. I love that I can feel the brisk air and see a few blocks of my (very) up and coming neighborhood. This might sound dumb and simple to you but it opened my mind to what actually brings me joy.
What pushed me over the edge with this realization is when this beautiful influencer posted her beautiful new dining room and the chairs were $600. Each. Like what the fuck? I’m the type of person who hunts at Homegoods, the thrift store, or an antique shop to get the best deal. Like sorry not sorry that I can’t afford Louis Vuitton or Chanel or a $600 chair. I’m just over it. I’m done with following influencers that make me feel like shit.
So enough with the negativity, here’s what actually brings me joy and makes me feel good:
YouTube- Fancy Vlogs By Gab
I’ve always loved YouTube. I’ve actually been watching Gabi since 2012. She’s the reason why I love girly things and antiques. Sure, she’s a little problematic but I love how calming and aesthetically pleasing her vlogs are. They make me happy and bring me joy. And she doesn’t make me feel like I need to go out and buy the most expensive furniture or buy a whole new wardrobe. She’s definitely rich, but she lives in a cute cottage with her boyfriend and dog and they decorate it like a beach cottage. Idk, she’s just sweet and has a girly aesthetic that I love.
Whyville
LOL ok I discovered this website literally 10 years ago. It was my addiction. I remember I would play on this in middle school. I would rush to do my homework in the evenings so that I could sneak down to my dads computer in the basement and play on Whyville for hours. I rediscovered this amazing website during quarantine. Basically, you get to make this little avatar and chat with other people’s avatars in chat rooms but Whyville is a little world so there are chatrooms that look like a beach, or a playground, or the woods, etc. You can buy your avatar new things like a shirt or a new pair of eyes by playing games and earning clams. It’s so addicting and great if you’re a creative. You need to check it out regardless what age you are.
Disney+
I’m a very nostalgic person. I love old Disney movies that remind me of happy days during my childhood. My personal favorites are The Little Mermaid, The Jungle Book, The Sound of Music, The Aristo Cats, and Peter Pan. If you don’t have Disney+, they give you a week free, so try it out π
Antique shopping
I loooove antiques and anything shabby chic. I go back and forth between liking antiques and a modern look, but right now I’m into a beautiful antique, Persian look. I just love old, beautiful things lol. Since I can’t go out shopping for antiques now, I either watch Kelsey Simone on YouTube, who embraces a beautiful, french aesthetic, or I get on Pinterest or WeHeartIt.
https://weheartit.com/rosiecheeksss
https://www.youtube.com/user/BenefitBarbie14/featured
Some images that bring me joy when I’m in an antiquing/Parisian mood:
Journaling and reading
I love writing down my thoughts. It’s like a big brain dump and feels so good to get my thoughts out on paper. You should try it.
The last thing that bring me joy is a good book. I try to read every single day for at least a half hour.
Obviously there are a lot more things that bring me joy but i’ll end the list here for now. Thank you for reading, and I’ll see ya next time.
xx