Let's be real: Instagram can make you feel bad sometimes. If you've ever wanted to meet the most judgmental thing in your life, that mean girl you knew in high school and Instagram might be tied. When you're constantly seeing perfect filtered images as you're scrolling your feed, it's hard not to look at your life and go, "Meh." This is especially true when it comes to body image and appearance. It can be challenging to not think about your flaws or imperfections after seeing post after post of bikini photos or perfectly styled #OOTDs.
We're not here to shame anyone about posting beautiful photos of yourself (I mean, you can find more than a couple solo shots of me looking glamorous on my own feed), but we thought it might be helpful to round up a few of our favorite positive Instagram accounts that might brighten your day, whether you're struggling with your own body image, or you just need a pick-me-up. These run the gamut on the feel-good scale—from body-positive feeds to mental health affirmations to just plain tell-it-like-it-is accounts. Take a look below and click the follow button. And have an account you love and think we should know about? Send us a DM at @thethirty.
Jessamyn Stanley is a yoga teacher, body positivity advocate, and author of Every Body Yoga. Her feed is full of encouragement and real talk—breaking down barriers, stereotypes, and stigmas related to fitness and weight, and helping others feel comfortable in their own skin.
Mari Andrew is a writer, illustrator, and speaker whose clever illustrations zero in on the hardships and wins of real life. Her recent book, Am I There Yet?: The Loop-de-loop Zigzagging Journey to Adulthood, is a fun, honest look at figuring out the whole grown-up thing. I own a copy and have gifted them to recent college grads.
It would be hard not to be inspired by Shay Neary's Instagram posts. Neary, a plus-sized trans model, shares her life's journey and what she's learned in completely honest photos and captions. She encourages others to be their true selves, writing in a recent post, "Make authenticity your perfect. Transcend the idea, that you need to be anything, but your true self always."
Founded by Ruthie Friedlander and Christina Grasso (who contributors on THE/THIRTY), The Chain is a support network for women who work in fashion and entertainment who are struggling with eating disorders. The Chain's Instagram is filled with supportive and thought-provoking quotes.
Plus-size model and sex-positive influencer, P.S. Kaguya's Instagram feed is all about self-love and body-positivity. Her website bio reads, "She is forever fighting and aiming for inclusiveness in the modeling world, not only as a model but as a first-generation Korean American." Follow her for some real talk (and some pretty amazing song covers).
Dietician Lili Hayim not only shares healthy eating tips, but she gives some great life tips (a most recent post was about how to foster a healthy relationship with exercise) and shares her own unfiltered photos.
Next up: 22 Reasons to Be Thankful for Your Body
This article is provided for informational purposes only and is not intended to be used in the place of advice of your physician or other medical professionals. You should always consult with your doctor or healthcare provider first with any health-related questions.
