EXCLUSIVE: Erica Dasher Gives Advice On Self-Love & Social Media Pressure

“The social media part of life should just be that; social.”

Everyone struggles with self-love and the pressures of social media sometimes, even your favorite actors and actresses.

Have you ever had a day where you don’t feel beautiful? Have you ever felt overwhelmed with the pressures of social media? Guidance star Erica Dasher has some great advice for you! Here’s what she has to offer:

We at YSBnow want young people to love themselves always, even if they struggle to do so sometimes. What do you do when you don’t feel beautiful?

“For me, I have two practices that I try to do everyday so that when I start to feel sad or not pretty or whatever it may be, I can bring myself back to centre and balance. One of those things is writing. I write in my journal every morning. I write at least three pages a day. That helps me sort through whatever is going in my subconscious and set myself up for the day. I also meditate. I think meditation is a wonderful practice because it allows you to sort of watch the weather of your own mind and to sit with it. It’s not about pushing certain thoughts away, it’s about weathering that storm.”

A lot of our readers tell us they sometimes feel pressure to get a certain amount of likes or followers on social media. Do you ever feel that way too and how do you handle it?

“There are certainty days where I feel the pressure. It’s a really unique situation because in essence likes and followers have become a sort of currency. But I also think that it is an enormous distraction from real issues. I think the most important thing that a young person can do is be authentic to themselves and what they’re putting online and being mindful of how that affects other people. When it becomes a source of validation is where it gets dangerous. The social media part of life should just be that; social.”