Doing It Wrong

I finally started an Instagram account in November. I’m not sure why I put off joining that form of social media, but I did. Now, I have to say, I love it.

Not because it is boosting my author platform or selling books. But I don’t care. For me it’s not about getting followers. I don’t automatically follow people back, especially when currently about half of the people following me are supposedly middle-aged men with private accounts. I’m getting eye strain from rolling my eyes every time one of those idiots follows me.

I am certainly doing it all wrong from a business strategy standpoint. I don’t post often enough. I don’t worry about staging my pictures. I don’t add a million hashtags to every post.

I don’t care.

I follow people who are interesting. And that’s it. So when I scroll through the pictures I am inspired, and awed, and astounded by the people, animals, and plants that I see. I follow accounts that feature older women wearing what ever kind of clothes they damn well please, giant rabbits, plant moms, healthy foods, and plant medicine. I follow artists and yogis and stylists. I follow prairie dogs, people who live in vans, pop-up camper renovators, self-help authors, sheepadoodles, and my belly dance teacher’s Golden Retriever page.

If you happen to follow me, you get a true glimpse into my life. I don’t post with the intent to get a ton of likes. I just post what I want to share in the hope that someone else might find it interesting. If you take a peek at who I’m following, you’ll see the types of things that inspire me. Will my Instagram account bring me book sales? I honestly don’t know. But I do know that at the moment it brings me joy as I wonder at the incredible people who are also sharing their lives. P.S. If happen to want to check out my Instagram, I’m @JanelGr.