In the paper the other day was an article about the declining level of fulfilling engagement with social media sites such as Instagram and TikTok. The author spoke of how Instagram began with a happy-snap, moved towards an emphasis on swoon-worthy enviable pictures, then a collection (or carrousel) of pictures, which then escalated to short videos (or reels), followed by an expectation that there should be special effects in those videos, and so on and so on.
Now there is apparently an inundation of ‘resentment reels’ – where people sulk about the effort they put into making content that is never seen. It’s not entirely clear whether they’re complaining about the wasted effort or the lack of fame… probably both.
Apparently, Instagram is a little confused about who it is, who they’re competing against, and how best to make money. As a result, their ‘algorithm keeps changing’ – and that means followers may or may not see your content. Online discussion notes that this makes the experience frustrating and demoralizing for regular users.
In a similar way, there is growing resentment over how once-were hand-made platforms such as Etsy are being inundated with digital downloads, and mass-produced cheap knock-offs which are being sold side by side with the hand-crafted version but at a fraction of the price.
And don’t get me started on blog posts that are generated purely using artificial intelligence…
Everyone, it seems is yearning for the ‘good old days’ when social media used to be social and home-made meant hand-made.
What’s all this got to do with holistic healing, you might ask. Well, I’ve been thinking about my initial resistance to self-help and self-healing. I remember how much I wanted a quick fix, and an easy solution. Most importantly, I recall the slow shift in my mindset that acknowledged that good things take time, that there is pride in achieving things, and self-satisfaction that comes from those baby steps and inch-stones as opposed to big victories and epic mile-stones.
Holistic healing and mindfulness are both ‘slow-burners’.
There’s no shortcuts to becoming less stressed and more mindful.
I can’t help but wonder if ‘mindfulness’ will be the next victim to fall prey to commercialization – if it hasn’t already. The explosion in adult coloring-in books is probably a sign that it’s already a commodity commercialized. So too the abundance of meditation apps. I guess that means it won’t be long before there’s some sort of ‘mindful-regret-reels’ where we all look back and feel as if we were all collectively duped into believing we could heal ourselves through meditation and yoga alone.
It’s possible. Especially if Big Brands take it all and wrap it up in subscription services and some sort of buy-now-pay later approach.
Even so – I’m sticking to my path, holding my approach ‘lightly’, taking nothing too seriously, becoming no one’s devotee, enjoying the free things that life has to offer, whether it’s YouTube teasers, compliments, or sunshine.
Like so many things, I think it will come down to choice – what will you choose to chase?
Take care, carefully, Linda x
The Mindful Migraine 
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