May is Mental Health Awareness Month:Curate Your Feed Intentionally
May is Mental Health Awareness Month in Canada đ¨đŚ. In my upcoming book Redefining Showing Up: Your Permission Slip to Using Social Media on Your Terms I have included a chapter on mental health tips from the perspective of a social media strategist, yours truly. Please note I am not a therapist, just someone who has worked online for 14 years and has seen some horrendous behaviour đł so these are the steps I took to make my days easier. Social media is powerful. It connects, inspires, and builds opportunities you'd never have otherwise. But here's what nobody talks about: your feed is not a mirror of the world. It's a reflection of what you choose to let in. Most of us treat our feeds like they're fixed. Like we have to follow everyone who follows us, or engage with content that drains us "because it's part of the algorithm." That's not true. Your feed is the first line of defense for your mental health. Unfollow without guilt. If someone's posts consistently leave you drained, anxious, or comparing yourself, you don't owe them your attention. Dr. Sherry Pagoto, a behavioral scientist who studies social media and health, reminds us that the quality of what you consume matters just as much as the quantity. Follow for fuel, not friction. Seek out accounts that teach, inspire, or genuinely brighten your day. These are the people who make you feel more connected, confident, or creativeânot "less than." This is the easiest mental health reset you can make today, and it takes maybe 10 minutes. Your move: Spend 15 minutes this week unfollowing three accounts that consistently leave you feeling heavy. Then follow one account that genuinely fuels you. Notice the shift. What's one account you've been meaning to unfollow but felt guilty about? đ¤