Do you represent yourself the right way on Instagram?

It goes without saying that the pictures you Instagram, not to mention the things you tweet, describe and depict your personality. Although I know it is wrong to judge a book by its cover, we are all guilty of doing it. Strangers who view your profile will determine the kind of person you are by the things you post on social media. 

This is a reminder that what you put on the Internet, stays on the Internet.  If you would not let your grandmother view the picture, then it probably does not need to be posted for the whole world to see, especially a future boss. Along with background checks, business owners also scope out employees' social media sites.  

Below, I have evaluated some Instagram scenarios that include captions and questionable pictures that have caught my attention. Maybe you will feel the same way. 

1. #Blessed. Are you #Blessed with a picture of your family? Or did you post #Blessed picture of the new BMW or Louis Vuitton bag you just got? A picture is worth a thousand words. If the picture of your family makes you #Blessed, then it proves that you realize the true meaning of life, and place more value on the people you meet and the journeys and experiences than on expensive consumer goods. I am not saying you must Instragram your family to appreciate them, but you get the point. The best things in life aren’t things. Remember that.   

2. THOT (Them H**s Over There). Really? Do you feel like you should represent yourself with this caption? Women complain about being degraded, but for starters, you mustn't demean yourself, much less let other people do so. Yeah, I am aware THOT is a line in a song (Shout out to you, Urban Dictionary for letting me know) and that’s fun and all, but not everyone understands that. Those who do might laugh. Those who don’t might be quick to judge.  

3. @#$%^    %*(*&^%$#    $#*!  (a line of explicits). By no means am I saying that I have the mouth of a saint, but I do not cuss on any type of social media. It is unattractive and a turn off to most people. Explicit language, not only makes you look trashy, but it also makes you sound uneducated. Clean up your tongue, y'all. 

4. #NoFilter. I am not hating on the filters of Instagram. Obviously, that is the app's primary job. However, I am against the “perfecting” apps. Just be yourself, as cliche as that may sound. Everyone is aware that your skin is not perfectly airbrushed and we know your teeth are not white as snow. It leaves people room to talk about you, and they may even call you fake. Sure, it is neat to edit your pictures by adding special layering, funky effects, borders, colors, etc., but do not alter your own appearance when editing. 

Give it some thought. How do you represent yourself on Instagram? Make sure the images you post project the way you want others to perceive you