Influencers today have changed the landscape of social media for the better. They have crafted a space where both brands and influencers alike can become better examples to the people they represent. From crafting inspirational content to generating a safe space to interact with the community, these influencers are the forerunners of the South African community. I know it seems easy to sit in front of a camera and talk about your feelings, but it takes courage, and with courage comes rewards.
Why do we want inspiring influencers?
Influencers on social media can have a significant impact on young brains, both positively and negatively. This is because influencers hold a great deal of our time in their hands. Whether we like it or not, they are more a part of our lives than we care to confess to. Regardless of the content you’re interested in, these influencers can change the mood of the day just by a single video. You can start your day with some light humor or a deep motivational quote encouraging you to tackle your day with courage. Or… in the other direction, wishing you had a better life in a negative way.
In order to fit in socially, our brains closely monitor information about ourselves and frequently contrast it with information about others. So, in other words, we reflect on social media based on our interests and desires. The brain circuit responsible for desire is substantially stronger than the brain circuit responsible for fulfillment.
This means that the emotion of desire is stronger than the emotion of satisfaction.
Keep this in mind throughout this blog, we will be referring to this often.
A study was done to see the effect of people and social media when the content that was viewed did not motivate them. Their emotional well-being (how they felt) and cognitive well-being (how content they were with their life) declined the more time they spent interacting with social media. This means that the effect of social media can negatively affect your well-being. Instead of encouraging you, you follow the wrong people, it can influence your behavior for the worst.
However, we as Humans are naturally social creatures. We need human interaction to stay connected with ourselves and our world around us. Social media has allowed us to engage online. Remember how difficult it was during the COVID-19 pandemic?
Social media can also be a free learning ground for people wanting to increase knowledge, learn new skills, and better themselves. There are many influencers that share their road to success, encourage growth and learning, as well offer free learning courses.
But what about motivation? There are countless thriving businesses, owners, and influencers on social media. Everyone can find inspiration in the people they look up to, especially students and young professionals with high goals. Many leaders freely offer their wisdom to foster others’ development. It can alter your life to follow people who encourage you to uphold your principles, dream big, and make a difference in the world.
Seeing as we now know that desire is stronger than the feeling of satisfaction, having good role models on your feed can encourage your personal growth. It can enable you to improve on yourself, your value and perhaps even give you that extra kick in the morning to start your day. Just like Coffee! But, well… longer lasting.
Influencers who make good change in the South African community
Now that we have spoken on why you should have good role models on your feed, who are these good role models, and where can you find the right influencers?
First on the list is Fiona Rossiter
Located in the stunning city of Cape Town, Fiona is a creative, inspiring soul that encourages people to get a creative outlet. She shares her experiences on her Inspired Living SA blog. The enjoyment of life can be hard, especially if you work a 9-5 with little time to fully enjoy your time. Influencers like Fiona give you an inspiring look on life just by sharing their creative experiences with the world and seeing the environment through an artist’s eye. If you decide to give her a follow on her socials, you may find some exciting new holidays to plan for!
Superhero in Training
Superhero in Training is a South African artist that reacts to videos of amazing stunts, comedies, and even just real life superheroes. But why is he an inspiring influencer?
Ever heard of the saying “Laughter is the best medicine?” Well it’s true. Scientists have found that happiness and laughter hold many benefits to improving your physical and mental health. The only downside is the smile line. But if you ask us, it’s worth it!
Short-term benefits of laughter:
- It stimulates your organs by breathing in oxygen-rich air.
- Your stress reaction is sparked and then calmed down with a hearty laugh (Giving you a relaxing feeling).
- Your muscles get more blood circulation by the movements made while laughing. This soothes your body like a massage.
Long-term benefits:
- It improves your mental health.
- Your satisfaction with life increases.
- It relieves pain, both physical and emotional.
- It’s a natural stress reliever.
You see, influencers like Superhero in Training bring laughter into your day and this naturally makes your day, mood, and even outlook on life a little brighter.
Refiloe Phoolo AKA Cassper
Cassper is a South African songwriter and rapper. He uses his platforms to showcase his music, fitness journey, and achievements. After several life challenges such as his brother’s passing in 2003, Cassper knew what he wanted in life and decided to go after it. He has been an inspiration to aspiring music artists for years and holds many awards under his belt. Cassper is one of the influencers that are a walking billboard for success, courage, and overcoming life’s challenges. No matter how big the dream, he shows that it is possible with hard work and dedication.
Why they were able to change the landscape
Even though I had only named a handful of influencers, there are many like them. They range from mental health awareness to pure comedy accounts that make light of hardships. These influencers all hold a common theme – They are true to themselves and can reflect their accounts in a way that’s genuine. This is what makes them so successful. They don’t shape their minds and actions by what is expected of them. Instead, they simply do what they love and share it with the world around them.
Their follower-count goes up the more they are true to themselves. It encourages us to take action over our lives, live it like it was meant for us, and take risks to better ourselves. It isn’t just about the desire to want what they have, but more so the desire to want what we wish we had. These influencers act as a source of encouragement for ourselves to be satisfied with the life we have today.
Conclusion
Let’s recap.
We spoke about the emotional desire being stronger than the emotion to be satisfied. Knowing this, you can go in one of two ways:
- The first would be a destructive route. The influencers influence your behavior in a negative way that makes you sad, unsatisfied, and discouraged.
- The second is when influencers use this desire to be better. They motivate you, teach you by being an example, or simply just try to make you laugh.
If you want the second route, start looking for those accounts that motivate you. Drown out the ones that don’t. You will see that social media will naturally start fitting your preferences with the algorithms in place. Although taking a break from social media is healthy and a valued option, simply cleaning out your following list can be just as good. Find those fitness accounts, body-positive influencers, and people you look up to. Every now and then, give a follow to some questionable comedy accounts. After all, life is short, right? Why not choose to be inspired? Your social media account is yours after all. Just like your life, you are in control of it.