Let’s be honest for a moment, shall we? Some of the people we follow on Instagram are not close friends, they aren’t family. They are people whose lives look appealing. Or at least the lives they emulate on Instagram. These are people who are brave enough to do all of the things we hope to do or people who seem to radiate influence. As much as it is easy to cross the line into comparison, there might be a better way of approaching how we view others’ successes.
If you were to view my Instagram and the people I follow, you would find the close friends I want to keep updates on and you would also find a lengthy list of people I haven’t actually met. Sounds a bit stalker-ish, I know. I would probably feel a little ashamed about that if I didn’t know for a fact that you do the same thing. I can proudly say that I don’t follow celebrities or use social media to stay up on the latest gossip. You see, the people I follow are inspiring to me. These are people who have started the career I want to pursue, have skill sets I want to grow, have seen victories I’m still working towards… These are the inspirational ones.
They say that if you surround yourself with people who are at a greater level than you in any area you’re working on, that you are more apt to reach that same level. This is true of intelligence scores, but it can be true of any other area of your life. A common saying amongst psychologists is that “You are your 5 closest friends”. Whoever you surround yourself with are going to influence you. Now, I’m not saying that if we were to all add Stephen Hawking to our social media we would all miraculously be able to solve the quadratic equation (yeah, I totally whipped that phrase out of my butt), but you will eventually change according to your social system. The people around us change the way we think, the things we prioritize, the actions we end up taking….Social media is just another way of surrounding ourselves with excellence.
So, I surround myself with people who have mastered or excel in the areas I need to improve. As you all know, one of those areas is in fitness. I have found women who have not only excelled in this arena, but they pour back into others what they have learned. Now, there are ways this can quickly bring you down, so let me precede my list with some general food for thought.
Guidelines for Instagram Inspiration
- Comparison leads to discontentment. It is so easy to look at others and just see one more person who has achieved what we haven’t. There have been many days when I can tell comparison is going to be a struggle, and I take a little break on social media.
- Achievement doesn’t negate progress. Oooh. This is a biggie for me. When I see others achieving in an area that I am still working away, it’s as though all of my progress doesn’t matter anymore. I’m not at the goal, so the fact that I’m closer to the goal than I used to be is now a moot point.
- Chapter 10s don’t look the same as chapter 2s. The women I follow have been doing this a lot longer than I have. I’m still at the beginning of my journey, while they are way down the road, past mile marker after mile marker.
- Social media isn’t always accurate. Geez, we all know this, so why does it still bother us. Instagram is a brief glimpse into a person’s life. A moment of their life. A moment, with filters, poses and photoshop.
Alright, I think you get the point, now. These people are to show you where you’re headed, not to point out how far you still have to go.
- buffbunny (Heidi Somers)
In all honesty, the name threw me a curveball when I first heard about her, but she is a gem. She originally started working out because she was struggling with her weight. This was before social media and fitness really met, so there weren’t very many resources for people trying to change their lifestyle. So, she taught herself as she went, even going without the support of her friends and family for quiet a while. Now, she devotes herself to helping other women who may not know where to start, either. Plus, she looks downright adorable.
- chelsealifts (Chelsea Karabin)
Chelsea is definitely not the ultra feminine girly type that we have all secretly cringed at when we’re at the gym. This girl is all about getting in there and working hard. It was a bit difficult to imagine her going for a bikini competition and prancing around in heels, but then she talked about the struggle with her fans and embracing the struggle that comes with a challenge.
- michellelmyers (Michelle Myers)
Michelle might not be as well known as some of the other ladies on my list, but I love that she always targets getting the mindset correct in the approach to the gym. She is always about the attitude we take in life and how that impacts our fitness goals, and that is an area I can definitely use a little inspiration.
- taychayy (Taylor Chamberlain)
Taylor is a bit younger than some of the other women, but she pushes herself to achieve and work for every success. She also struggled with her weight when she was younger, but with having too little weight– now she works hard to keep her weight healthy and to do everything at the gym the right way.
- katrinahealthyhuntress (Katrina Freds)
Okay, this one is the epitome of working hard. Even after being voted a BodyBuilding.com spokesperson, she has continued working late nights as a gym cleaning woman, in order to have time with her husband and because she is not shy of hard work– an adage that applies to her workouts, too.
- jamieeasonmiddleton (Jamie Eason)
Jamie is a mamma and Christian first and if you are or might be pregnant in the future, she is the one to follow. She continued to workout during her pregnancy (not pushing it too much) and then regained her progress after each pregnancy. Not an easy feat!
- jesshilgenberg (Jessie Hilgenberg)
This mamma has some serious guns! Her crew of fans are referred to as “Jessie’s girls”, and it’s all about flaunting the guns. You’ll see progress photos of Jessie’s biceps, as well as some motivational before and after photos by some of her fans and clients.
- ashley.horner (Ashley Horner)
Ashley is as hardcore as they come. She pushes herself and demands that you make that some expectation on yourself. Just hearing her talk about her own goals will motivate you to push yourself further and really take your workouts to the next level.
- paleomg (Juli Bauer)
Juli is a Paleo girl (I’m sure you had already deduced that yourself), so her Instagram is plastered with delicious recipes, workouts and some cute outfits that she’s found (a random addition, but it gives you outfits to aspire towards). She works hard to have a healthy lifestyle, so you’ll see that in all of her posts.
- alexsilverfagan (Alex Silver-Fagan)
Alex is a new addition. She is more into yoga than I am, but she makes it look so much more hardcore that it inspires me to work on this area (I really need to start doing yoga to help with my flexibility and coordination). She definitely shows a tougher side to yoga than mere meditation.
Well, these are my top picks for women to follow, but there are thousands upon thousands of inspiring, hard-working and motivational strong women out there. Let me know if you find any others and share them below in a comment– I’m always looking for someone new to find more inspiration.