What type of relationship do you have with social media? Do you use it to stay in touch with friends and family, follow your favourite brands, or share updates from your life? Do you find it to be a force for good that motivates and inspires you? Or do you find it leading to comparison and feelings of not being good enough? Maybe a little of both?
As I shared in my post How to Use Social Media the Right Way, there is no shortage of studies that delve into the dangers of social media use. One in particular from the American Psychiatric Association found that “the use of multiple social media platforms is more strongly associated with depression and anxiety among young adults than time spent online.” And it’s really no wonder this is the case. If not used in a healthy way, social media can wreak havoc on our mental health.
But what about the positive forces on social media? The accounts and leaders who actually help to build us up, inspire us, and celebrate who we already are? In this post, I’ll be sharing 8 of the top Instagram accounts to follow if you’re looking to build an uplifting feed. Following these people always adds something positive to my day, and I hope it does the same for you!
#1. Tiffany Roe, @mindfulcounseling
Tiffany Roe
I came across Tiffany’s account a few months ago and I always get excited when I see that she’s posted a new Story. She’s a Utah-based therapist and speaker who drops truth bombs in the form of “Therapy Thoughts”. While many of her thoughts and advice are around intuitive eating, she also talks about relationships, mindset work, and other topics. Her quirky and fun personality makes her fun to watch, and I love how she prompts us to rethink some of our hard wired beliefs and look at life differently.
Tiffany has also recently launched a podcast, and you can check that out here.
#2. Inner Travel Coach, @innertravelcoach
Tammy Faulds of Inner Travel Coaching
When it comes to my amazing coach Tammy, I can never get enough of her insight! Honestly, everything this woman says is powerful. And I love how she delivers nuggets of wisdom every few days in her feed. You can expect to read everything from tales of perfectionism to advice on facing life’s challenges and everything in between.
You can learn more about Tammy and life coaching in my post What Is Coaching? Why You Need a Life Coach Today. And check out her blog for more insight.
#3. Finding Cooper’s Voice, @findingcoopersvoice
Kate Swenson
I’ve written about this blog in the past and how it doesn’t exactly make sense that I follow it.
You see, Finding Cooper’s Voice is a blog written by Kate Swenson, a mom sharing her experience parenting a special needs child. I don’t have a special needs child, nor do I even have children. But there’s something about Kate’s story and reflections on life that resonates with me, time and time again.
As I shared in an old email to my subscribers:
I realized that I’m drawn to Kate’s journey because she is authentic and relatable. She is real about her struggles, successes, wins, and challenges. She is open about the highs and the lows. And what she says resonates with where I find myself right now.
Kate’s story is about so much more than autism. It’s about how to get back up one more time after being beaten down repeatedly. How to not take ourselves so seriously all the time. And it’s about staying focused on the wins and our end goals versus getting caught up in the daily grind and the setbacks.
If that resonates with you, definitely give her a follow.
#4. Catie Fenn, @catiefenn
Catie Fenn
Catie has quickly become one of my favourite people to follow on social media. While some of you may know her from The Bachelor Canada, her feed is nothing like that of a traditional reality TV personality.
Instead, she shares enlightening and inspiring posts and Stories about self love, the journey of life, and our connectedness with the universe. I feel like her posts always come up at the exact right time for me and deliver a message I need to hear. She’s wise beyond her years and her teachings can truly shift your mindset.
#5. Rini Frey, @ownitbabe
Rini Frey
If you have any desire to learn about intuitive eating and loving your body as it is, you have to check out Rini’s account. She’s an eating disorder recovery coach who shares advice and inspiration on body positivity and having a healthy relationship with food.
One of my favourite things about Rini is how open and authentic she is. She’s not afraid to share her own struggles and challenges and what’s she’s learned as a way to help others.
#6. Global Positive News, @globalpositivenews
With all the bad news in the world, it’s refreshing to find an account that’s dedicated to spreading the good all around us!
Global Positive News shares real life feel-good stories that can help restore our faith in humanity. Expect to see headlines about strangers helping one another, donations made to important causes, and extreme acts of kindness.
#7. Collin Kartchner, @collinkartchner
Collin Kartchner
If I had to point to one account that inspired my post about How to Use Social Media the Right Way, it would be Collin’s. A few months ago, he started a movement to bring more awareness fo the dangers of social media use.
But he didn’t stop there.
He raised money to replace cool sculpting billboards with “You Are Loved” signs. He went on talk shows to encourage people to unplug and spend more time connecting with people in real life. And he encouraged people to unfollow accounts that make them feel bad about themselves.
If this resonates with you, give him a follow.
#8. Simon Sinek, @simonsaysinspire
There are lots of inspirational quote accounts out there, but Simon Sinek’s is one of my favourites. You won’t find the cliche one-liners you’ve heard a million times. Instead, get ready for thought provoking and fresh ideas that will inspire you.
There you have it: 8 inspiring and uplifting Instagram accounts that I recommend everyone check out. Leave me a comment below with your favourite accounts; I’d love to hear your recommendations!
P.S. Want to be Instagram friends? You can find me at @beyondthesafeharbor. 🙂
It’d be nice to see a mixture of diversities.
Thanks for the feedback, Dani – great point! I’ve been making a conscious effort to expand who I follow on social media the last few months, and it’s been enlightening. If you have any favourite accounts you follow (especially BIPOC accounts!) I’d love to hear them.