Are You The Influencer—Or The Influenced?

Even in the perfectly manicured picture, you can see it on his face. A reluctant willingness to go along with her efforts to get the perfect angle, pose, lighting. And a twinge of sadness. Here they are on a breathtaking vacation together. Yet she is in a completely different world.

All she can think about is creating the perfect moment on camera-not to capture memories with him, but to share with her followers. And though the caption reads of her undying love for him, it’s clear that, at least in this moment, she has love only for her fans.

She can’t make it through a shopping trip without asking their opinion. “Should I buy this?” with options to dictate “OMG, so cute!” or “Eh, not worth it.” It’s apparent that, although a leader to so many followers, she has chosen to become a slave to them. While masquerading under a confident facade, she is silently insecure, unable to make a simple decision for herself without asking the world first.

Create and embark on adventures every day. But instead of enjoying them through a camera lens, embrace them through the eyes of those you love-those who are with you. What if life’s most beautiful moments were kept sacred, instead of exploited in a plea for approval? What if you decide to be an influencer of loved ones rather than Internet strangers?

Enjoy a romantic sunset with the love of your life-but just this once, don’t share it with the world. Could you be more present in that experience if you aren’t thinking about what everyone else might think? Sure, take a picture, remember it, put it in a photo album and share it with your kids. But instead of parading it before your fans, hold onto this priceless moment for yourself.

What picture perfect moments are you trading for the chance to capture the perfect picture?

Originally published at https://tiffanyparkwriting.com on July 15, 2019.