We Are Here For Roz Purcell Pushing Back Against Instagram’s Negative Influence

Scrolling. Scrolling. Scrolling. It’s addictive, you know you could be doing so many more productive things with your time, but you’re stuck. Few people remain who haven’t been sucked into Instagram’s deep dark hole of gawking at the lives of those who seem to have it all. The perfect face, the enviable body, the endless getaways to the other side of the globe. Instagram is all about projecting your best moments, best angles and best self to the world. We continue to follow the footsteps of these people, be it celebrities or those who just appear more fortunate than us. But how does this really make us feel? The constant comparing is exhausting.

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I remember the first time I noticed my stretch marks probably like 11 or 12, I was like i don’t remember my cat scratching me . A few months of noticing more and more I was like this is so cool I have all these reptile markings no one else has & showing them off .

As i grew up, went to secondary I realised it was something I shouldn’t think was so cool or show, no one in magazines had them I never noticed them on anyone else, it was not normal or considered beautiful. Even now it’s rare you see an unedited photo in a magazine I’m like how is that girls butt so smooth . It hasn’t been until now the past two years I can confidently walk passed someone in a bikini or shorts and not cringe inside thinking that they’re probably looking at all my stretch marks and cellulite.

Maybe it’s age( most likely) but you realise if someone is doing that they’re 1. A nob 2. A nob. Stretch marks are normal, we all have them, big or small they’re part of me & they’re here to stay! Ps. Got a few replies on stories early like you know what you need to do to get rid of them ”x, y&z” sorry babes I don’t have time or the dedication to massage my but in some super oil for 30 mins before bed sure I’d slip out onto the floor #stretchmarks #mybodyismine

A post shared by ROZ PURCELL (@rozannapurcell) on Dec 27, 2018 at 12:36am PST

Instagram vs. Reality

You may be familiar with Irish model-turned fitness/health guru Roz Purcell (@rozannapurcell on Instagram). A while back, she uploaded an image to Instagram that garnered quite a bit more attention than her usual photos of her recipes from her “Natural Born Feeder” recipe book, of her flaunting her gym gear, or photos of her adorable Jack Russell, Willy.

The series of shots show firstly the perfect picture, the “instagram worthy” shot. Swipe left and she shows us the ones deemed by society as not good enough. Un-posed as she frolics on the beach she looks less like her picture perfect self and more like any one of us. Her caption promotes a powerful message to everyone out there who finds it difficult to separate real life from life online, “This is the highlight reel”.

Sometimes we may forget the 50 or more other pictures that came before the perfect shot. We show our best angle, we get the best lighting possible and even then that doesn’t seem to be good enough when we then go and play around with filters for another 15 minutes.

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The reality of getting a photo on a wooden swing when your arse is scalded #instagramreality

A post shared by ROZ PURCELL (@rozannapurcell) on Jan 29, 2019 at 12:25am PST

Everyone Has Insecurities. Everyone.

It may be hard to believe when looking at Roz that she too can have her insecurities. She admits to having struggled with body image for most of her life during her modelling years. Conscious of her dimples and rolls, she has learned to acquire a carefree attitude that I think we could all do with taking on. 

I myself have followed Rozanna Purcell on Instagram for quite a while now, something about her just felt like a breath of fresh air, she felt a lot more authentic and genuine compared to some of the others on the app. Unlike many of the big stars with perfect bodies on Instagram who promote ridiculous weight-loss teas and supplements in order to make themselves a few extra bob, Roz has written her own recipe book, full to the brim of simple and most importantly healthy meals. Roz is a force to be reckoned with, not afraid to hit back at the body shammers and doing things a little differently.

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A post shared by ROZ PURCELL (@rozannapurcell) on Jan 27, 2019 at 5:05am PST

Step Away From The Phone

If your Instagram feed is making you feel bad about yourself, do your mental health a favour and have a declutter. We are all too wrapped up in the social media bubble, filtering not only our photos, but our true selves to conform to societies idea of perfection. 

The internet and social media has played a huge part in not only how we view ourselves but in how we present ourselves to others. Be it friends or even strangers, most of us pick and choose what part of ourselves we want to put on show to the world. When we see the best part of other people’s lives we forget that it is not a realistic representation of real life. Look at yourself and your own social media pages, we are ALL guilty of putting our best selves out there.

And hey, there’s nothing wrong with that, but when it comes to a point where a picture is having a negative effect on how you view yourself or the life you live, remember that those photos only show a minuscule insight into that person’s life. There is a lot more to us that what is on our social media pages, FACT. 

Read More: Could Influencers Please Stop Photoshopping?

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