How To Avoid Comparison On Instagram

We’ve all had a mid scroll moment on Instagram where envy starts to creep in. Quickly turning a mindless scroll session into internal reflection and often negative feelings. I’ve been there and I was very close to getting rid of the app altogether. But despite those unsettling moments of comparison Instagram can be a fun place filled with humour, meal ideas and news of that great thing your friend just did.  If you’re here I take it you’re not quite ready to toss Instagram in the can just yet so here are my top tips to avoid comparison on Instagram. 

Tips for avoiding comparison on Instagram

Tip 1 -Follow people and causes that feed your spirit. 

What you repeatedly see, hear or feel affects you. If you’ve ever experienced comparing yourself with others on Instagram you know that to be true.

Curate your feed by choosing carefully the accounts you choose to follow and never be afraid to unfollow accounts that you no longer connect with. Think of Instagram as a room in your home that you get to design on your own. It’s your space, you get to decide what goes where and what gets thrown out. 

Follow accounts that make you do three things as a start:

  • Laugh
  • Think or learn
  • Empathize 

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Tip 2– Form a community of like-minded people who are approachable and are open to connecting in the real world.

Likemindedness is one of my favourite ways to keep comparison at bay. Fostering connectivity with people who are on the same path as me is refreshing. I find it encouraging and motivating. The best part is I get to learn a lot long the way! Let’s take the Jamaican blogging community, for example, I follow every Jamaican blogger I come across. In doing this I’ve learnt lessons from those who blog on different topics than I do as well as blogging tricks from those who’ve been blogging longer than I have. 

Although I haven’t met any of them in person yet we’ve collaborated, talked and engaged with each other on varying levels which supports the community feeling. We celebrate each other’s wins and share each other’s content. Find a tribe like that for your hobby and don’t be scared to meet up outside of Instagram. 

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Tip 3– Keep aspirational content to a minimum. 

It’s good to have a few people you admire in your followed list but try not to overwhelm yourself with that kind of content. It’s easy to go from admiration to jealousy or envy when you live a different life than the admired. The stage and process leading your aspirational character to where there are is not always clear or known to you. So before your go comparing yourself to a 10 year in the making version of that admired person focus on the person you are and what you like right now.

The aspirational accounts I follow are typically celebs who are living the family life I aspire to have soon. Right now I follow Tia and Tamera from Sister, Sister because they embody the type of woman I see myself as. Business and family-oriented, stylish, fun and God-fearing.

But these types of accounts are in the minority in my following list. If I had to do a percentage breakdown I think it would look like this: 

Keeping these accounts to a minimum keeps me focussed on my true goals and the work I’m doing to achieve them.  It helps things feel a bit more realistic and within reach.

To recap, avoiding comparison on Instagram can be done in a number of ways but the ways I’ve found to work are:

  1. Following people and causes that feed your spirit.
  2. Forming a community of like-minded people who are approachable and are open to connecting in the real world.
  3. Keeping aspirational content to a minimum. 

With these tips in mind, you can create a positive space to thrive on Instagram without constant negative comparison.  If you found these tips helpful don’t forget to leave me a comment below and like this post.

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