If you know me, you know that Instagram is my go-to social media site for brightening up my day. Now, this might seem kind of strange because for many of us Instagram is a hub for scrolling through images of people we wish we could look like or our friends doing super fun things we wish we could be doing.

Instagram has become more of a competition than anything and I personally find it very sad. So, about 3 months ago, I decided to do something that has drastically changed my overall Instagram experience... I started following baby animal accounts.

I'm talking foster kittens, golden retriever pups, baby ocelots, the works. And let me tell you, it has the power to change my entire mood. If I'm having a horrible day, all I need to do is open up Instagram and I know I will be flooded with videos and pictures of adorable puppers or kitties. It's truly amazing folks. Therefore, let me give you 10 simple reasons why you should IMMEDIATELY start following some animal accounts of your own.

1. The cuteness factor is real.

Tell me you don't squeal with excitement (either on the inside or the outside) when you see a pupper running across your screen with his ears flopping in the wind. I'm sorry, there is not one person on this earth immune to the cuteness of that.

2. It's therapeutic.

There are some days when it actually feels like the entire world is against you and on these days, there is nothing that can make you feel better quite like looking at some cute kitties cuddling. It just automatically brightens your mood and calms you down.

3. It makes you think about something other than yourself.

Like I said, Instagram has become the social media site for comparing yourself to other people. Following a few baby animal accounts takes your focus off yourself and how you look to other people and it refocuses your attention on something CLEARLY more important. ;)

4. It's a great way to relate your mood to other people.

You can't tell me you've never come across a sleepy cat video and tagged your friend in it with the caption "me". (Personally, I just did this yesterday). Seeing pictures and videos of sleepy animals can perfectly capture your mood and we all know it's true.

5. It's a conversation-starter.

If you ever really want to start texting your crush but you don't want to send the cliche "hey", send a funny dog video! It's an instant conversation-starter. Or the group chat may have just gotten extremely awkward and no one really knows how to respond. There's only one thing left to do in this situation... send the dog video! Duh.

6. You can brighten someone else's day.

If you know your friend is feeling down and you don't really know what to say, send a cute kitten pic. It will automatically make them smile and feel better.

So, now that you've read all this, go open your Instagram and follow some baby animal accounts. I guarantee you will not be sorry. (Also, if you like golden retrievers, I strongly recommend following @goldenretrievers . You can thank me later.)