"Outtakes" or just real life?

No. It's not a post about Paris. Yes. Those will be coming soon, trust me. You're either going to want to hop on a plane and fly there or literally never hear me speak of it again when I'm done. First though, I saw a video yesterday ~ I say yesterday it was very late at night on one of those endless scrolls though Facebook because it's the thing I use the least out of everything ~ and I actually watched it out, the whole video and thought, damn I need to write about that.

Lucky for you, I'm putting the link at the bottom so you have to stay with me a little longer and all you have so far is the title to go on: let me explain.

I see so many Instagram bloggers now and fashion bloggers, lifestyle bloggers that are really embracing this idea of 'outtakes'. They go on shoots they post the best to their page then in their stories you'll see them sharing the funniest or the ones that brand their imperfections; highlight the parts they don't want people to see. I love this, honestly I think it's so empowering but at the same time I hate the word 'outtakes'.

If you call it an out-take immediately it become something negative; something that you're almost ashamed of which, in my eyes, kind of defeats the point of embracing it and sharing it and being like hey this is actually me looking like how you might see me in real life...

Now don't get me wrong I'm not a professional blogger my idea of a photo shoot has been my mum in Paris getting some damn good angles (shout out to Fiona here for this and also making sure there are no random, middle aged, French men stood in the background...much appreciated). So, if you mean outtakes by the literal meaning of takes that didn't make the cut, okay I'm not attacking you. But as a general rule 'expectation verses reality' has become such a movement now on social media that it's almost created a parallel level of judgement...outtakes verses real life.

This idea of how similar your real life is compared to your life through social media is now becoming a new form of awareness and it wasn't until I watched the video I've linked did I really realise the extent it can mean. It's a strange one because obviously the basic idea of social media was always to share the best parts, the photos you like the most and that's still true we all do that. I do that entirely! I'd much rather post a picture I like than one I don't but now there's this whole new level of judgement appearing that everyone who is a regular user of social media will be affected by in some way. Suddenly you see doubts appearing like: actually, have I ever posed like that outside of a camera screen? Is that actually what I'm like in real life? Does my social media reflect me or someone different?

Before this gets a bit too depressing don't worry I wasn't having an existential crisis ~ I had to Google how to spell that and now it's on my search history, lovely. ~ in the middle of the night questioning my existence on social media. This is just what I think a lot of people are now having to deal with and those are the sort of questions I've found people have started to ask themselves. This video really made me aware of it. As someone who would love to work in media some day whether I keep up blogging or work on the marketing side of things I think it's so important to just take a step back and be like social media is exactly that. It's SOCIAL (share with your friends and people who have similar interests) MEDIA (content you WANT to share).

Essentially, I'm just disagreeing with societies expectations again and saying that you shouldn't be questioned for how 'real' you are (SO TEMPTED to put in a Love Island reference, Georgia is the only voice in our heads right now, right babe?) or how much or little you share with people. If you want to share photos of you that aren't as staged I love that, GO FOR IT, break down that idea of stereotyping perfections! Just please don't do it in a belittling way like this is me irl look how many chins I have when I'm not posing or look how awkward my smile is. Share them because you want people to see the real you not to prove a point and not to follow an X vs Y trend...

On the flip side, if you think they're funny and have the self confidence to put them where everyone can see them, girl I admire that so much. Or guy! You lads have it just as bad I think but people just don't seem to talk about it as much. The scary side of it though is really shown in this video and, yes, it's an extreme case but also it's very surreal. Having had my mental health affected indirectly by social media in the past, it really hits home and I do think there should be more awareness surrounding this issue. Nowadays, I feel like I'm in a position where because I started this blog as a way of changing how I use social media, I now don't feel any pressure from it because essentially I do it for me and no one else. I do it because I enjoy this and sharing my view on things with anyone who fancies reading it!

(Side note: I actually have no idea who reads this except in numbers but whoever you are I'm v flattered and do feel free to message me and tell me anything you don't like. Love a bit of constructive criticism and also I'm hopefully doing an English degree soon so here's hoping I caught all the typos and grammar errors. Whoops...)

To sum it up in a sentence here I am, saying that actually you should be able to post as much or as little of your life as you damn like, looking as glam or as natural or as 'real life' as you like and absolutely own it...but just please don't let it replace your life outside of it.

So, returning to the idea of as glam or as natural as you like...in my case apparently its as composed (or just a bit posed...guilty) or as clumsy as I am everyday, so here's some of the best of me falling off walls, dropping my sunglasses and quite possibly the resting bitch face to end all resting bitch faces.

We looked back through these and I have to say my Mum is more proud of these photos I think than anything I've posted on Instagram. If you wait long enough, she'll have one of me being me either tripping over a step or being blinded by the sun framed on the wall.

The video I mentioned is just below. Please, please watch it all the way through it has such an important message through it about just zooming out from societal expectations and enjoying life outside a camera. I'm so lucky in that I have the most supportive family and friends and that's really shown in the last year or so with my IBD flaring up. I've also had the most amazing summer so far which isn't just remembered through multiple pictures but through so many moments from the last couple weeks with people I love.

If you can't tell already this is something I'm really passionate about and not what I planned on writing about to start up this blog again after such a long break, so thank you for sticking it out. If you've read it and watched the video and like it please let me know what you think by either hitting the like button ~ the little heart at the bottom ~ or leaving a comment. I'd love to see how many people feel the same way I do about this as I can be pretty opinionated when I want to be, I start up and then you can't shut me up sorry!

Thank you

XXX

Jay Shetty - Before You Lose Someone

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