Here we go again, discussing the cult…TikTok.
TikTok has our generation in a chokehold, that we just can’t seem to get out of.
It was brought to my attention by my boyfriend (who bt dubs doesn’t have TikTok), that he could tell when I’d been on TikTok because I was even more self-critical than usual, wanted three new outfits, and a rhinoplasty. I thought about the influence that TikTok has on my life and the way it makes me feel and came to the conclusion that I had to change my TikTok.
So…the cult leader aka the ‘For You Page’ is full of everything you tell it to… which you don’t even consciously know. It’s an algorithm that monitors what you watch, skip, like, comment on, and search, voila! You’ve created your For You Page. Previously mine was full of models, hauls, makeup tutorials and cosmetic aesthetics, which is so fine. I enjoyed watching it, but at the same time, it was contributing nothing to my life. I quickly found myself being overly self-critical, comparing myself to the models I was consuming, alongside wanting more unnecessary make-up and clothes.
With the fact you create your own feed in mind, I decided it was time to change my For You Page to better myself. I wanted to alter it to show things that would help me grow as a person, motivate me, and educate me.
I thought about where I was currently in my life, what mini goals I have set and maybe even some larger goals, as well as healthy interests that didn’t result in me criticising my face 24/7. I have recently started to get back into the gym so I started there, searching for workouts and body-positive female influencers. Soon enough they started to creep into my feed. I also really enjoy cooking, especially with my boyfriend, so found my way to foodtok and let me tell you… BEST PLACE EVER. The food recipes, healthy and dirty food, it’s amazing and I feel nothing but hungry after watching it…nothing wrong with that. The list of must-try recipes I have accumulated is insane.
With a few holidays coming up and the interest to travel more, I have incorporated travel searches into my feed too. Finally, a mix of podcast snippets, some that I know and love i.e. The Girls Bathroom and also some new well-being ones that help with motivation and self-worth. So there you have it, just like that a completely new For You Page that makes me feel happy and motivated after spending time on it.
Of course, I know that the problem of TikTok is much bigger, it is essentially an addiction and we should really cut down on our consumption of the app for our health. However, if you are going to use the app I think it’s important to fill it with things that inspire you and make you happy, because why openly subscribe to something that makes you demand more and overall feel like crap.