Some days, I am permanently attached to my beloved Instagram. A great way to upload what you're eating, drinking, doing and wearing, this nifty little photo app is pretty high on my list of loves. It would seem that I'm not the only one - with 200 million Instagram followers and 70% of these scanning their feed every single day.
I read something the other day, analysing how much Instagram is used by Bloggers. I follow many of them myself, and their feeds are often filled with great days out, the hottest beauty products and delicious meals from trendy London restaurants. Sometimes it is difficult not to feel a little jealous when they're uploading selfies from Coachella festival or posting a picture of their new collection of lip crayons (ahh, press gifts). Still, while Instagram has become a great place for bragging about your latest gym trip and how great you look before a night out, it is imperative that we remember that this is merely an edit of our lives.
Surely this is the point? When I look back at my Instagram pics, they tell a story of an edited version of my life. A heavily filtered selfie taken with my friends shows me how great I felt in that moment, a snap of a coffee cup reminds me how relaxed I was, a screen-shot of my latest 5k PB allows me to remember how great I can be when I push myself. Thankfully, no-one catches a snapshot of me running for the train in stupid shoes on a Monday morning, or cleaning the kitchen or comfort-eating macaroni cheese.
In the same way that you might not include a polaroid in a photo album or leave off the details when telling your work pals about the dream holiday you just had (truth was, it rained all week), Instagram gives everyone an opportunity to highlight the good in their life. Yes, through rose-tinted spectacles (or whichever filter of your choosing) but still a great record of the travels you've made, nights you've enjoyed and delicious food you've consumed. These are the moments that shape my existence and make me smile- and I'm just happy they are being shared.
