Why My Instagram is For Public

I’ve been thinking these days if should keep my Instagram private or if I should unveil it for public.


I have a few considerations:

First, I want to indulge my private moments with my loved ones, my friends and my family. As I do not enjoy getting distracted by people who get attached by their smart phone so much, I do not want to be one of those people. I am afraid I will be more aware on things I publish online instead of the quality time that I share with people around me.


Second, I am a bit anxious of people judgment. I want to be myself. I love myself the way I am. I don’t want to change a bit to fit the society's expectations. I want to publish things around me to my inner circle without hiding my real self and only showing people want they want to see.


Third, I am trying to keep my mental wellbeing. After a few soul crushing and heartache moments the past few years, I realize how important it is to be mindful. I have been practicing mindfulness meditation since early 2015. I am afraid that if I keep my Instagram public, I would focus more on posting the things online instead of being in present moment (related to point 1). And as you might knew already social media is full of things unpredicted. You never know what people could do with your picture postings in the future.


Nonetheless, after talking to my good friend, Zeva, while I was on duty in Jakarta last time, I realize I could utilize social media for a positive purpose that inline with my life goal. Zeva herself for instance is a devoted Muslim and she aims to utilize her Instagram to inspire other young women that those who wear hijab could accomplish things beyond make up tutorials. She is a brilliant and career driven person who happens to be good at cooking and make up as well. She is definitely such an inspiration.


For my side, I want to inspire other ordinary young Indonesian women that you could achieve more than you can imagine! Many times in my life people ask me If I come from a rich family or If I am after a rich husband? The truth is that I have traveled to more than 35 countries, obtained my double master degrees from the best university in Australia and have a few investment properties of my own at my late 20ish is because of I have brain and I work hard to get what I want! I know what I am after and I follow my dreams (with the support of my family and close friends).


There is nothing special about my upbringing and my background of family. I was born in a middle class family, raised in a small yet beautiful town in a highland of Sumatra with only 4000 residents. My parents never push me to be anything, they just want me to be happy and to be a useful person in the society (which hopefully what I am going through now). Although my parents are education oriented, no one in my immediate family has a master degree, not to mention double.


I might be far from perfect. I achieve less than so many people out there. However, I just want to inspire young women out there that they could achieve what they want if they work hard for it. I am not saying that women should not rely on men but I just want to emphasize that women could achieve things and it would be great if their partner support that too. In the world of gender equality, mutual support from each other is something essential.

I am not even sure if I am good at posting pictures on Instagram. I will just give it a try. Instagram is a happening social media medium (at least in Indonesia now) that we all could use for a positive change. I will post more about being a female globetrotter and environmental stuff contents out there. So hereby I declare that I am officially open my Instagram account for public. Lets see how it goes...




Love,



Olivia

10 Simple Ways to Be An Environmentalist

I repost this article from World Watch Institute, and I think I would share to my reader this very simple way of being green and making earth a better place (for human) to live:

1. Save energy to save money

• Set your thermostat a few degrees lower in the winter and a few degrees higher in the summer to save on heating and cooling costs. In the case of tropical country, keep your AC just around 22 degree c. 
• Install compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) when your older incandescent bulbs burn out.
• Unplug appliances when you're not using them. Or, use a "smart" power strip that senses when appliances are off and cuts "phantom" or "vampire" energy use.
• Wash clothes in cold water whenever possible. As much as 85 percent of the energy used to machine-wash clothes goes to heating the water.
• Use a drying rack or clothesline to save the energy otherwise used during machine drying.

2. Save water to save money

• Take shorter showers to reduce water use. This will lower your water and heating bills too.
• Install a low-flow showerhead. They don't cost much, and the water and energy savings can quickly pay back your investment.
• Make sure you have a faucet aerator on each faucet. These inexpensive appliances conserve heat and water, while keeping water pressure high.
• Plant drought-tolerant native plants in your garden. Many plants need minimal watering. 

3. Less gas = more money (and better health!)

• Walk or bike to work. This saves on gas and parking costs while improving your cardiovascular health and reducing your risk of obesity.
• Consider telecommuting if you live far from your work. Or move closer. Even if this means paying more rent, it could save you money in the long term.
• Lobby your local government to increase spending on sidewalks and bike lanes. With little cost, these improvements can pay huge dividends in bettering your health and reducing traffic.

4. Eat smart

• If you eat meat, add one meatless meal a week. Meat costs a lot at the store-and it's even more expensive when you consider the related environmental and health costs.
• Buy locally raised, humane, and organic meat, eggs, and dairy whenever you can. Purchasing from local farmers keeps money in the local economy.
• Watch videos about why local food and sustainable seafood are so great.
• Whatever your diet, eat low on the food chain. This is especially true for seafood. Eat seafood in the area that produce seafood. 

5. Skip the bottled water

• Use a water filter to purify tap water instead of buying bottled water. Not only is bottled water expensive, but it generates large amounts of container waste.
• Bring a reusable water bottle, preferably aluminum rather than plastic, with you when traveling or at work.

6. Think before you buy

• Go online to find new or gently used secondhand products. Whether you've just moved or are looking to redecorate, consider a service like craigslist or FreeSharing to track down furniture, appliances, and other items cheaply or for free.
• Check out garage sales, thrift stores, and consignment shops for clothing and other everyday items.
• Watch a video about what happens when you buy things. Your purchases have a real impact, for better or worse.

7. Borrow instead of buying

• Borrow from libraries instead of buying personal books and movies. This saves money, not to mention the ink and paper that goes into printing new books.
• Share power tools and other appliances. Get to know your neighbors while cutting down on the number of things cluttering your closet or garage.

8. Buy smart

• Buy in bulk. Purchasing food from bulk bins can save money and packaging.
• Wear clothes that don't need to be dry-cleaned. This saves money and cuts down on toxic chemical use.
• Invest in high-quality, long-lasting products. You might pay more now, but you'll be happy when you don't have to replace items as frequently (and this means less waste!).

9. Keep electronics out of the trash

• Keep your cell phones, computers, and other electronics as long as possible.
• Donate or recycle them responsibly when the time comes. E-waste contains mercury and other toxics and is a growing environmental problem.
• Recycle your cell phone.
• Ask your local government to set up an electronics recycling and hazardous waste collection event.

10. Make your own cleaning supplies

• The big secret: you can make very effective, non-toxic cleaning products whenever you need them. All you need are a few simple ingredients like baking soda, vinegar, lemon, and soap.
• Making your own cleaning products saves money, time, and packaging-not to mention your indoor air quality. 

Those are pretty simple action so far. I hope we could all be an environmentalist. ;)

Love,

Olivia