Ep 25: Yoga, Social Media, Comparison & Competition

Do you use social media for work - to share your classes or any other offerings? Have you ever felt like social media blurred the lines between your personal and professional boundaries? 

Sharing glimpses of your personal life can foster connection and relate-ability with your audience, but it can also lead to a loss of privacy and a sense of constant scrutiny, whether it's self-imposed or from the public. The pressure to maintain a consistent online presence and engage with the people you're connected with can be draining often encroaching upon valuable time for self care and personal practice. 

Additionally, the pursuit of likes followers and validation may overshadow the genuine intention to share valuable insights and teachings. Leading to a shift in focus from serving students to seeking external validation. This episode is all about cultivating healthy ways to show up on social media and use it as a tool for connection instead of comparison. 

We're connected like never before, but no one gave us helpful strategies to care for our mental health as we scroll. So let's get to it!

Transcript

0:00

If you use social media for work to share your classes or any other offerings you have, this question is for you. Have you ever felt like social media blurred the lines between your personal and professional boundaries? When you share glimpses of your personal life, it can foster. Uh, connection and relate-ability with your audience, but it can also lead to a loss of privacy and a sense of constant scrutiny, whether it's self-imposed or from the public. The pressure to maintain a consistent online presence. And engage with the people you're connected with can be draining often encroaching upon valuable time for self care and personal practice. Additionally, the pursuit of likes followers and validation may overshadow the genuine intention to share valuable insights and teachings. Leading to a shift in focus from serving students. To seeking external validation. Have you ever felt that. I know I have at times. This episode is all about cultivating healthy ways to show up on social media and use it as a tool for connection. Instead of comparison, we're connected like never before, but no one taught us ways to be thoughtful as we scroll. So let's get to it. Welcome to the Essential Conversations for Yoga Teachers podcast with me. I'm Monica Bright, and I've been teaching yoga and running my yoga business for over a decade. This is the podcast for you if you're a yoga teacher, you're looking for support, you love to be in conversation, and you're a lifelong student. In this podcast, I'll share with you My life as a yoga teacher, the lessons I've learned, my process for building my business, and helpful ideas, tools, strategies, and systems I use and you can use so that your business thrives. We'll cover a diverse range of topics that will help you whether you're just starting out or you've got years under your belt and you want to dive deep and set yourself up for success. I'm so glad you're here. Listen, I don't take myself too seriously, so expect to hear some laughs along the way. Now, let's do this together. Welcome back to the podcast. I'm Monica bright and I confess I have had a love, hate relationship with social media. I typically hate it when I am neglecting my boundaries or I don't reach an outcome that I've set for myself. And I don't give myself grace and understand that some things are out of my control. I've been guilty. And I say that lightly of taking social media breaks because I need them, but also know that I do need to have an online presence at the same time. The goal for me is to find a healthy balance that works for me. I don't do this currently, but I know a creator who takes the summers off from social media. Now she has a huge following and can't afford to do that. But many of us who have smaller businesses feel as though we might have to be more consistent. It's the idea that counts here. She takes it off for her mental health and to reconnect with her life and her family. Sometimes social media perpetuates a culture of comparison and competition among yoga teachers or among anybody for that matter. And the visibility of other teachers, successes and accomplishments can. Trigger feelings of inadequacy and self-doubt. Fostering a sense of rivalry rather than community. This competitive mindset can detract from the collaborative and supportive ethos that is integral to the yoga community,. Hindering opportunities for mutual growth and learning. Ultimately, well, social media offers valuable opportunities for connection and sharing. It's important to navigate. It's influenced mindfully. Uh, prioritizing authenticity. Self care and a genuine connection with the people in your social media world. Social media can present dangers. When you find yourself constantly comparing yourself to others online. You have to keep in mind that what you see is only a sliver of a person's life, which emphasizes achievements, appearances, and experiences that may not reflect reality. A hundred percent accurately. Constant exposure to these idealized images and lifestyles though. Can lead to negative psychological effects, such as feelings of, like I mentioned before, inadequacy, right. Or low self-esteem. And possibly even depression. When you compare yourself to others on social media, it can create unrealistic expectations and a sense of constant. Competition detracting from genuine self appreciation and personal growth. I shared in a previous episode, how I felt when I opened my Facebook app for the first time in a long time. And I experienced a visceral reaction to the content I was taking in. I wasn't on the app for more than 10 minutes before I decided to put my mental health first and get out of that scroll. And close the app and move on with my day. So, how do you protect yourself from falling into the trap of comparison on social media? I find that when I have several strategies that I can draw from, it's so helpful. So you may want to write these down because. I keep a little journal of things. To do sometimes when I forget I can go back and read them. And remind myself. Oh yeah. this is a tip that can help me out. So number one, be mindful about your consumption. Be mindful of how much time you spend on social media and the content. That you consume. Limit your exposure to accounts that trigger feelings of comparison or inadequacy. Have you ever said to yourself, while you're scrolling or while you're watching other accounts. I'm not doing enough. Or I need to be doing more or I need more education or who am I to be teaching what I'm teaching? Because there are people out here. That know so much more than I do. So you have to be mindful about your consumption and who you're comparing yourself to, and remember that you're right where you're supposed to be always. That's always helpful to remember. Number two. Awareness of authenticity, remind yourself that what people post on social media often represents. A highlight reel rather than the full picture of their lives. Everyone experiences, challenges, and imperfections. Regardless of what's portrayed online. You'd be surprised if you knew the whole picture. So try to resist it. Comparing yourself. To the best part. Of someone else's life. Number three focus on self-improvement. Shift the focus from comparing yourself to others, to focusing on your own goals, your progress and your achievements. Look at social media as a tool for inspiration and learning. Rather than validation. We can get ourselves in a pickle when we search for validation outside of ourselves. Because we have no control over it. You are completely dependent on another person. Who you don't control to give you the validation? That you were seeking. When you can just give it to yourself. Number four. Cultivate real life connections, nurture the relationships you have offline with friends, family, and communities, where you can share genuine experiences and support each other authentically. Number five practice gratitude. Regularly, reflect on and appreciate your own strengths, accomplishments, and the positive aspects of your life. Gratitude helps so much. To counteract feelings of inadequacy and comparison. And number six, set boundaries, establish boundaries for your social media use, including when and how you engage with these platforms. Create a healthy balance between online interactions and offline activities that contribute to your wellbeing. My last episode was dedicated to boundaries. So please go listen to it. There's so much good information in that episode. And I want you to have it. It's so important for you to take proactive steps. To manage your social media consumption and mindset so that you can protect yourself from the detrimental effects of comparison and cultivate a healthier relationship with these digital platforms. We've never been so connected to people like we are now, but you have to remember that you're only seeing what someone allows you to see, and typically it's the best part of themselves and their lives. Using social media responsibly and in a healthy way, involves being mindful of how you engage with these platforms. And the impact it has on your well-being. So here are eight more tips. To help you use social media responsibly. Number one. Set intentions. Intentions can guide your interactions and help you avoid mindless scrolling. Before logging in consider why you're using social media. Is it to stay connected with friends? To find inspiration or to learn something new. Number two limit your screen time. Set a timer for how long you plan to spend on social media each day, there are tools like app timers or phone schedulers that will help you stay within specific times for social media use. To prevent overindulgence and help you prioritize offline activities. Number three. Curator feed. Okay. This is huge. When you curate your feed, you can create an online environment that excites you. If you love watching comedians or feel fulfilled when you take in. Scenes of nature. Follow the accounts that inspire and uplift you then unfollow or mute accounts. That consistently make you feel negative emotions or trigger comparisons. I was talking to a friend not too long ago about their experience on social media. And I was going through one of my, Not so good phases of ah, it's driving me crazy. And they were like, no, I have the best experiences. These are the accounts that I follow and I enjoy watching them because they make me laugh. And so it made me think about. Curating my feed a little bit better. All right. Number four, be mindful of sharing in short. Think before you post. Be considerate of the potential impact of your posts on yourself and others, respect privacy and avoid sharing, sensitive personal information. That could compromise your safety. I know a lot of people who don't share when they're traveling until after they've returned home because of safety reasons. I used to share my daughter's more online than I do now, but that's because they've said to me that they don't want to be on camera for whatever reason it is, that doesn't matter. And I have to respect that. Number five. Engage. Thoughtfully. Have you ever engaged in arguments or helped spread negativity? You got to avoid this and remember what you put out is what you get back in return. So if you want to cultivate a peaceful life, Be peaceful. Practice kindness and respect in your interactions and use social media as a platform for meaningful conversations and positive connections. Number six. Verify information. Misinformation is all over the internet and social media and it spreads quickly. So take the time to check your sources and ensure that you're sharing reliable content. And before you share news or information, Always verify its accuracy and credibility. Number seven. Take breaks regularly. Take breaks from social media to recharge and refocus. Use this time to engage in activities that promote relaxation, creativity, or physical exercise. I often go outside, sit in the sun, listen to the birds in my backyard and just practice being in the present. Moment. It recharges me. So whatever it is that brings you joy. Do that take walks, take a fitness class, reconnect with a friend. Read a book. That's not work-related. Cook a healthy meal, whatever it is incorporated into your daily life. And remember your break, doesn't have to be a summer long break. It could just be a couple of days. Out of the week. Or it could be for a certain amount of hours during the day you get to choose. And then finally, number eight, monitor your feelings. Pay attention to how social media makes you feel. If you notice feelings of anxiety. Jealousy or inadequacy, consider taking a break or adjusting your usage habits to prioritize your mental wellbeing. Like I said before, sometimes I do have a love, hate relationship with social media. But really try to focus on which parts of it. Veer into the quote hate side so that I can monitor that very closely. Reframing your why is also extremely helpful. So that's social media. Isn't controlling you instead. You're controlling its presence in your life. Again, think about it as a tool for connection learning and self-expression. While you maintain a healthy balance with your life outside of social media. Who talks to us about healthy use social media. Usage, nobody. We kind of just have to figure it out on our own and some people can, but others have difficulty in doing so. Teacher training. Didn't teach us this, but if you're a teacher that produces or consumes content on social media, then it's something to think seriously about. I hope that this episode sparks some deeper thought around how you use social media. And are keenly aware of the effects it may have on you because how you show up as a yoga teacher in person, and online is something you should always be buying full of. I've added a link in the show notes for you to send me a quick text message and no, I won't know your phone number. It's a neat little addition to the platform that I use that allows for this new and super easy way for you to communicate with me. Once you click on it, it will take you to your messages. Don't delete the code. That's automatically added. That's how your message will get to me. Specifically, and I can't wait to hear from you. I love diving into these conversations because there are so many important discussions to be had in the teaching world. You know that my goal is for you to love the yoga teaching life. And allow it to be fulfilling and rewarding, and sometimes it takes some work and a few conversations to get you there. If you love this episode, let me know. Subscribe to the podcast. So you're always in the note when a new episode drops and share it with another yoga teacher who you think would love to be in on these conversations. Thank you for helping to spread the word about this podcast. If you've been taking notes in your journal, as you listened to these episodes, I'm so glad. And I'd love to know all about it. Finally, don't forget to join my newsletter. That's just for yoga teachers. I've got some exciting teachings coming soon. So I'll want to tell you all about them. The link is in the show notes below, and I would love for you to join it so we can always stay connected. All right, that's it for now? Bye. Mhm.