Sunday, July 1, 2012

Instagram: Turning Simple Moments into The Extraordinary



It’s easy for everyday to become a routine affair. Pick up the coffee, work, commute home and start the process over again the next day. I recently read a blog post from a friend/colleague on the west coast, where she shared an excerpt from a book called Be The Miracle: 50 Lessons for Making the Impossible Possible by Regina Brett. I was so intrigued by the post that I picked up a copy of the book myself.  A key aspect of the book is focused on turning the everyday moments of your life into something extraordinary.  It’s a philosophy I couldn't agree more with.

The book focuses on celebrating moments as simple as a rain shower in the middle of the day or fresh cookies out of the oven. I spent the past weekend in Michigan, visiting my grandparent’s place that I’ve been going to ever since I can remember.  This is the first time I’ve ever been to Michigan with Instagram and I found myself capturing pictures of everything from the lake to meals.  I quickly realized that the power of Instagram goes well beyond the digital sphere. It’s reshaping how we all look at life.




Instagram turns a simple picture into a memorable image through the power of filters.  Since Instagram does all of the work to make a picture look beautiful, we can focus on taking pictures of the everyday.  Blowing the candles out of a birthday cake, a night in the city or even a fresh flower are all being captured and shared.

There is no doubt that from a digital perspective, Instagram, Pinterest and the like are shifting how we connect and share content.  However, what I find to be the true power of Instagram is that it’s forcing us all to slow down and celebrate the little moments of joy.  To provide a little inspiration here are a few simple moments that I’m celebrating.

  • Sunsets at the beach
  • Farmers Market Fruit
  • Gelato (three days in a row)
  •  A run by the beach
  • Time with family I love
  • Relaxation
  • Morning Coffee
  • Comfy clothes
  • Holiday weeks
  • New music