Why my life feels richer with Instagram

I have become obsessed with Instagram lately. Probably only because I deleted my Facebook account and now got more time on my hands to dedicate to another social media platform.

A part of me really hates social media, mostly because I don’t want to see how glorious everyone else’s lives seem to be, how many fancy juices they drink or how much they exercise. And because I just waste time doing nothing, following peoples’ lives when I should be living my own.

But something has changed. I just feel so weirdly enriched to be able to tune into the lives of others who might be on the other side of the world.

In the least creepy way possible (I think) I’ve started using Instagram as my new doco channel. It allows me an insight into the lives of people and cultures that I would probably never come across otherwise. And it’s all first hand.

I know there are blogs out there, but personally, I want it to be bite sized. I want to be able to tune in, just for a little bit, without giving away too much of my time.

Since I started dedicating more time to Instagram I have gained an insight of what it’s like growing up in a suburb in Russia. I have gained an insight into what it’s like being a young artist in Thailand and Canada. I have been able to see the amazing mothers and fathers who care for, support and unconditionally love, their children with disabilities, such as Down Syndrome and Cerebral Palsy. I’ve followed how parents are watching over their pre-born babies, praying that they’ll grow a little bigger, develop a little further. I have gained an insight into what it means to be transsexual, and all the pains and joys that comes with it.

And I have become weirdly invested in these peoples’ lives. I feel their pains and joys, I’m part of their ups and downs, and they’ve helped me broaden my understanding and general knowledge

I don’t follow celebrities on Instagram, but I follow the ordinary person, whose life if so vastly different from mine, yet so similar. And what I consider that what I’ve experienced so far, is equal to any good doco, and it’s part of my ongoing education for life.

Mimmie grew up in Sweden and first came to Australia as a backpacker after high school. After travelling around the country for two years she returned to Europe and pursued a Bachelor’s degree in Journalism in London. But the longing for Australia and the sun became too strong. After having worked for some time in the media industry, Mimmie decided to make a change and swap the news for conferences. She now gets to do what she loves the most, meeting new people and keep learning about cultures and issues while producing conferences on current topics.