Why Its Important to Express Real Emotions on Social Media and How to Do It

We experience a ton of emotions every single day, but what are they really? To get started, we first need to understand what the term clinically means. Emotion is a scientific change in the form of feeling that occurs when we go through physiological, cognitive (thought-based) and neurological changes in our mind and body. It’s the foundation that triggers the way we think and behave in situations.

Imagine that a tiger is prowling towards you. How do you feel, and what do you do? It might go a little like this: first, your instincts sense you are in danger and the emotion of fear quickly sets in. Then, your emotion sparks the thought of saving yourself from the dangerous situation. Finally, the thought tells you how to act - run as fast as you can and scream for help!

Since emotions drive our behaviors and ultimately determine the way we handle everyday situations, suppressing true feelings can be detrimental to our overall functioning. And while there is scientific reason to express real emotions, many of us refrain from doing so, fearing that our true emotions may not be well-received by others.

In recent years, excessive social media usage has led to an increased negative impact on mental health. A key contributing factor is the masking of one’s real self which can affect mood and self-esteem. In serious cases, suppression of emotion can lead to depression and dire consequences. (Read more about it here)

Here is how you can express your honest emotions on social media and share what’s truly on your mind -

1. Accept the power of vulnerability:

Be aware of how social media makes you feel and know when to stop engaging. For starters, try consuming content that brings feelings of positivity, and make an effort to post authentic content. Take fifteen seconds to reflect before posting something to avoid acting on impulse.

2. Embrace storytelling and watch out for perfection fallacy:

Social media is all about storytelling, whether it’s related to travel, work or whatnot. Next time you post something, have your real expression in mind as opposed to how the other will perceive it. Be mindful of perfection fallacy, such as having a perfect backdrop or a caption that will gain the approval of others. This will help prevent scarcity mindset (Read more about it here) and makes you less susceptible to self-criticism.

3. Build your personal zone of comfort:

Create a social media presence that serves you as opposed to one that flaunts a ‘desired’ image of you. Have a safe space of followers you enjoy engaging with, choose content that you are comfortable with, and build trust within that circle. Focus on sharing to build connection and intimacy with those that you care for.

To help you learn more about your emotions and mental strength, in collaboration with MindPeers users can take online therapy and mind coaching sessions at an exclusive rate of just INR 280. Please visit https://mindpeers.co/therapy, sign up and apply code KOTAKGI while booking to avail.

Article authored by MindPeers India Private Limited. Copyright 2021.

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