Why I won't make it as an influencer

A perfect lie: Influencers and Plastic surgery.

"Make me beautiful. Make me....a perfect soul, a perfect mind, a perfect face, a perfect..... lie". Do you guys remember the Nip Tuck theme song? This tv show is an old one but so on, on what's going on today on social media, especially on Instagram. For those who don't know this American Tv show, check it out. It's a satire of Hollywood, Californian perfect lifestyle. How do people use and abuse plastic surgery to fit these standards and become "perfect lies". It's funny how these standards became influencers' standards. How ironic is it? Bloggers primarily got relevant then successful because they were considered as "normal people" like you and me. The perfect standards were for celebrities, models, actors. Bloggers found their relevance in the way of living and sharing the life we all live. Any of us could relate to them. So, how did we jump from a random person sharing his passion, tips on social media to someone who is faking it? 

Influencers killed "Self-acceptance"

Well, well, well, simple: money. As soon as these people realized they could make money from it, the game changed. If you're making this as a hobby or a side business, the pressure is less and integrity is preserved. But if you're making this as a core business, well, the pressure is high. The fact that this business is still a new business generates lots of uncertainty. Naturally, you want to make as much money as long as you can.  To make more money, you need more followers. The more followers you get, the more exposed you are to the public's eyes. The more exposed you are, the more likely you are to face some backlash. It's a vicious circle. One of the ways to both control uncertainty and reduce backlash is to seek perfection. So when you have the idea of launching a blog, making digital content, you have to wonder if you want to make it full time or part-time. Then another question will be soon on your mind: Am I pretty enough to do so? The majority of famous influencers have changed their physical appearance on their way up. So should you do the same? Let's be real. In this case, some of us are in a position where they want to reward their parents and some of us are willing to sue them.  It's hard to think that you can be a very passionate, talented person but if you're not good looking you will never make it. Writing this part makes me really sad. The more I write, the less I want to be part of this world. 

They all have good reasons to have made some physical changes. Yep, they feel better. Yep, they were sad. Yep, they got sick facing nasty comments. Yep, they made a private choice. Yep, they embraced a healthy lifestyle. Bla Bla Bla. They all have good reasons. Just watch their youtube videos if you want to know more. But what does "self-acceptance" mean to them? Do we need to reach some kind of perfection to feel self-confident? The aim of getting older is not to learn to accept yourself, then to be self-confident? Do we all need to become "perfect lies" to share a passion, to show a vision? Why do we like pictures of perfect lies? Are we quietly responsible for this? We know that this is not real. So why do we keep commenting posts with few of some: "Oh you look gorgeous", "Stunning, babe"...? Are we aware that we should comment instead: "Oh, gorgeous surgery", "stunning nose job, babe"? Sounds less glamorous, right? We wanted real people. But we've never liked their pictures as many as when they became unreal. Realistic truth of surreal behavior in an unreal world. I am so confused. I am afraid. I am confused cause I don't know what to think about all of this. I don't want to be judgemental. I am afraid of being influenced to reject who I am to succeed. Is this the price to pay? Is this our legacy to the next generation? I can hear you, cynical people...We like the perfection of what they've become thanks to surgery. Sure, but this perfection is a lie. Welcome to Insta-lie! A life full of lies, where influencers are selling flies and shitty minds got you many likes. 

You need to feel vulnerable to meet empowerment

In Insta-lie, people want the sin without the sinner. If you choose not to sin, being you makes you feel vulnerable. Showing yourself with all your imperfections can make you feel deeply vulnerable.  Everyone is so used to some kind of perfections than being exposed to some kind of imperfections can lead to some strong reactions. Unless you are famous or have a big community to applause everything you do, it is very risky. Risky regarding the comments you could get, the number of likes you won't get. This could hurt you so badly. This could hurt your pride. This could hurt your self-confidence. This could damage self-acceptance, the relationship you share with your inner self. As I am not a "makeup up" person in my everyday life, I chose to do so on my website and Instagram. I am not into selfies as well, which I find too narcissistic. And let's be honest, I don't have this babydoll face made for selfies.  That's the main reason why you won't see many selfies on my Instagram account. Knowing all of that helps to imagine how I felt while posting my very first selfie on Instagram. My first "makeup-free" selfie. I felt so vulnerable to engage myself in a post where everyone and anyone would be able to see me as I am. Whether you like it or not this is an example of how Instagram impacts all of us. Since when being simply yourself makes you vulnerable?  We walk in the street every day without being obsessed with what people will think about us. At least, if the idea of what people will think of us pops up sometimes, we've never felt vulnerable. You can defy the rules but you will still be subject to them. It takes a lot to "fight" a system and disapproval, vulnerability are parts of it. So I decided to post my very first "makeup-free" selfie (picture below) and to promote it for one or three days. And the honest magic happened, I got more than 2000 likes and no disagreeable comments. This is how my vulnerability met empowerment (#makeupfreeselfie, #staytruetowhoyouare, #thisisme, #facepositivity). 

I know 2000 likes are not a huge amount of likes but for someone with 200 followers....Give me a break. In this case, likes are meant to be an expression of support. A support to those like me who dare to post a makeup-free selfie. The way you feel when you have some of us relating to your vision, your action...This is what I called empowerment. I dared to do it. I got encouraged. I got the strength to pursue. Besides the encouragement, I've learned something important. Putting yourself at risk makes you definitely vulnerable. Vulnerability helps you to prepare yourself to overcome any kind of unpleasant moments. You've never been as stronger as vulnerable. Accept vulnerability. Embrace it. Use it. Empowerment is a feeling, an outcome.....Hidden behind vulnerability.  

Oops, I did it again

Recently I posted a picture of myself with no makeup. Here the "no makeup" picture wasn't really my concern. The full picture was my concern. I dislike my silhouette in this picture. My boobs are too big, I have no makeup on, the cleavage is too deep...This picture could have been great if somebody else was posing except me. 

As the theme of this picture series was Morrocco, I searched for Moroccan proverbs. And I found a great one that pushed me to choose this picture for my Instagram account. I added it as a caption : "Love truth even if it harms you, and hate lies even if they serve you". And this is how I want to end this part.