Instagram heaven or hell?

I have to admit, I am a social media junkie. Two years ago I knew nothing about instagram and now I’m hooked. Let me tell you how I got into the social media craze. A few years ago I decided to do a 6th grade play with 55 students and have these kids without little to no training to do a musical that no one heard of. Long story short, after it was done, I was itching for more to create, by the way I thought the play and kids were amazing. It didn’t take long for me to figure out what I wanted to do, because it would take a whole lot of cheddar to build your own makeup compliant. So back to fashion styling I go. I wasn’t going to work for a company or work under a roof. I needed to be my own boss and be my own creative director. Now all I needed to do is figure out how do I get my name and brand out there….. well of course, what does everyone do when they want to know or learn something, I googled it. “how to build a fashion website”, you gotta love google. So I set out and started researching and doing what the internet told me to do. I found Wix, a FREE, website to start blogging or start a business. It turns out that If you want a good website you have to pay but it doesn’t cost as much as if you would have to hire a professional web designer. In my research I read that social media plays a big role in being found or putting yourself out there. So I got a instagram account and a facebook account. I knew nothing about instagram, yep you heard me right, it’s 2016 and I knew nothing about instagram. But I fell in love with it right away. I am a visual person and you get what I mean when your on instagram. I didn’t know how behind the time, I was busy raising twin boys and my boys didn’t use or like social media, so I had no clue. When I looked at these instagramers, I realized that I’ve got a long way to go and boy there are some really smart talented people out there that got into the instagram market right away and are doing great. I feel so little compared to the big instagram bloggers, influencers and stylist who have reached over 50k and more followers. But I have decided that I am not going to compare, and I’ve been pushing forward and staying the coarse since. . I have been working hard on my styling and instagram for two years now. Am I close to what I feel are my equals are, hell no, but I got great loyal followers that are local and the ones that aren’t, they are the creme del a creme of fashionistas. They get me and I feel good that I haven’t bought my followers, I’m not saying it’s a bad thing but I don’t feel authentic about it if I had. I feel grateful for the followers I have, they are amazing. The upside to social media is that it is a great tool to help others, to teach, to learn, to be used as a creative outlet, to keep is in the know and now and for us not to forget about the past. The downside to social media is when you start to compare yourself to others, to be envious of what others have or hate what you don’t have. It can break your heart to see a boyfriend who broke up with you and see them with their new girlfriend. Or see a party that you weren’t invited to. Especially when there are hate comments on or about your post. At the beginning of posting my pics on instagram, I got so excited to just get 5 likes, then after a year I was getting 50-60 likes and for a while I was getting 100 likes. I was growing and I felt good and optimistic. But here I am scratching my head wondering why am I back to getting 60 likes a post after two years of posting a different look every day and outfits that are fierce. I didn’t understand why I wasn’t getting the likes or the followers that I truly believe I should be getting. I went back to google and asked for help. I was getting advice about using the right hashtags, downloading a followers app., posting at certain times, using filters, leaving comments, engaging with other instagramers… people I’ve done it all. Two years ago I was able to like everyone picture that would post, but I kept following so many great people that I couldn’t keep up anymore. Is that why my likes are less, but at least my followers have gone up a lot. But getting a few likes is very discouraging, I don’t feel LIKED!! I plan on having a e-commerce sight on the website so that you are able to buy what I post. But does having less likes make you unmarketable. The voices in my head sometimes tell me that you won’t be marketable, you should just quit because no one likes your styling. Here’s the good news, in my lifetime, I have had so many failures and so many lessons and never gave up and I have been so successfully happy for the last 25 years. Now that I am 51, the bottom line is don’t give a fuck if people don’t like my styling, my pictures or they think i’m it marketable. I know I am great and that’s all that matters. I am a strong woman who has a lot to offer and a lot to teach. But I still have room to learn. To wrap this all up, I’ve decided to not worry about how many likes I have, they don’t define me. Im already successful because Social media is a lot of fun, and it can help you, I think. But It can’t replace, a one on one relationship, it can’t make you happy, and you can’t replace good old hard work.