Gettyimages.com/woman taking a selfie
It’s National Selfie Day! Yup, that’s a thing now (I mean, are you surprised?) The first National Selfie day was celebrated in 2014, and was created by a DJ but now, it’s a phenomenon! In fact, it has a site that support charities. Selfies have gotten a bad reputation over the years, with people condemning them for being egotistical and narcissistic. But, like with any trend that takes off, I think it’s the people who do it/use it—and how they use it—that make that trend what it is. Sure, some people just use selfies to be told how hot they are, but there are plenty of productive, positive ways to use selfies, too! Let’s not forget that, before the selfie existed, people did post photos of themselves online—they just had someone else take the picture. We’ve always posted pics of ourselves, but now, with selfies, maybe we can be more aware of how we use them. Here are ways you can use selfies to inspire people.
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Post a selfie while volunteering
Do you do volunteer work? Post a selfie with the other volunteer with whom you serve food at the soup kitchen, or the children you tutor for free at a youth center (with their parents’ permission). Inspire others to volunteer!
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Post a selfie while giving blood
Next time you give blood or platelets, post a selfie. Show the world that it’s not that scary, and that you get to watch great movies and eat snacks while you’re at it. Post a photo with the nurse who is drawing your blood, and who has saved a lot of lives.
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Post a no-makeup selfie
I think that everyone out there, from time to time, could benefit from seeing a no-makeup photo. The more women who aren’t afraid to just show their faces, naked, hopefully the fewer little girls will grow up thinking they need to change anything about themselves.
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Post the bloat selfie
Hey, we all bloat! Even the women we believe to have perfect bodies bloat up sometimes. So, let’s stop just posting the pics when our stomachs look perfect and remind the world that bodies are just that—bodies. They do funny things. They aren’t designed to be aesthetically perfect.
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Post a selfie pursuing your passion
Do you pursue a passion? Do you do live poetry readings of your work? Do you do standup comedy? Do you sing? Post a selfie of you going after your dreams and maybe you’ll inspire someone else to do the same.
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Post a selfie making a smart financial decision
Whether you’re opening a savings account, starting a Roth IRA, or simply putting a little extra money in a jar every day, take a photo of yourself doing that. Too few millennials know about planning for the future.
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Commemorate achievements
Whatever it may be—big or small—post a selfie commemorating your achievements. Maybe you wanted to avoid fast food for a whole month, or not smoke for two weeks. Maybe you wanted to do one kind thing for a stranger every day for three months. When you hit that moment, take a selfie and caption it.
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Honor your BFF
Post a selfie with your best friend and list all of the reasons you love her. You could inspire others to stop and be grateful for the amazing people in their lives.
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Post a selfie while marching
Do you march for a cause? Get those selfies up. Show people what an amazing experience it is to march next to others who share your same values. Inspire them to get up and do the same.
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Post a selfie with your rescue pet
If you have a little rescue pet, post a selfie with your buddy! Tell the world the story of your fur baby—how you came to find him, what situation you saved him from, and what wonderful shelter or rescue you got him from.
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Post a selfie with your elderly buddy
If you spend time with a senior citizen on a regular basis, just to cheer them up, post a selfie with this person and tell the world what a joy they are. There are so many elderly individuals who could use companionship.
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Post that odd outfit you feel good in
You know that weird outfit that defies all rules of fashion but that you feel so good in? Post a photo, and tell the world what you love about it. Show them that it doesn’t matter what anyone else thinks about what you wear—it’s about how your clothes make you feel.
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The post-therapy selfie
Do you go to therapy? There are probably some people out there who need therapy but are afraid to pursue it. So post a candid photo of you after therapy, and talk about what it does for you.
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Post a selfie of you recycling (someone else’s mess)
Post a selfie of you recycling—perhaps even picking up the trash of someone else you found on the ground. Motivate others to do the same.
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Post a selfie with a person you just inspired
Maybe you inspired someone in real life—maybe you got someone to sign a petition for a good cause, or to pick up trash they found on the ground, or to adopt a rescue animal! Post a selfie with them, and talk about how you changed their mind about something.
