We all need to find joy where we can right now. So, if scrolling through social media is making you feel lonely, anxious or envious, it’s time for a ruthless edit of who you follow. The thing is, social media can make you feel good, and Instagram has genuinely come into its own as a way to help us feel more connected during lockdown. In the first week of launching, the Stay Home sticker on Instagram was used over 100 million times globally – four million times in the UK alone.
So, since (as we keep being told) we’re all in this together, we might as well make choices about who we’re in this with. These spirit-boosting accounts are Grazia-approved for anyone searching for kindness, creativity and connection right now.
15 Instagram Accounts To Follow That Will Make You Feel Good
1 of 15@schoolofsos
Bonnie Parsons' SOS dance school has always been about empowering women to feel strong and sexy with step-by-step routines to feelgood hits, and now they're offering free classes every day on Instagram Live. Try feeling down when you're flicking your hair along to Beyoncé – it's impossible.
2 of 15@JasmineHemsley
From bliss-inducing sound baths on Instagram Live (if you haven't tried it, do, it's peak ASMR), to #SundaySlow conversations with techniques to ease anxiety or increase creativity, Jasmine Hemsley is really dedicating her lockdown experience to helping us feel better.
3 of 15@studio_lennartsendebruijn
Dutch design studio Lennarts & De Bruijn's feed is a riot of joyous colour all in the name of their brilliant #staysanestaysafe campaign, intended to celebrate those on the frontline while inspiring those of us staying at home to get creative.
4 of 15@GoodGym
Good Gym is a community of runners that get fit by doing good, and they have pivoted to focus on the Covid-19 effort, with members dropping off food packages and providing support for healthcare services in partnership with the Red Cross.
5 of 15@DaisyMayCooper
This Country star Daisy May Cooper has discovered TikTok, to the endless delight of her followers.
6 of 15@ArtistSupportPledge
Created by artist Matthew Burrows, the Artist Support Pledge is designed to help fellow artists who have found themselves without work and gallery support. Artists post images of pieces that they are willing to sell for no more than £200 each and pledge that, when they reach £1000 of sales, they will buy another artist's work for £200.
7 of 15@StaceySolomon
Everyone's favourite Loose Woman, Stacey Solomon, has forged a successful side-line in making women feel better about themselves with a hearty dollop of Dagenham charm.
8 of 15@blkmktvintage
A gorgeous photo series called We Been Inside, featuring archival images of iconic and little-known black creatives at home. It will inspire you to revisit the music, books and films of some of the greats.
9 of 15@animalsdoingthings
Silly, adorable and just what we need right now: Animals Doing Things does exactly what it says on the tin.
10 of 15@thismumruns
Mel Bound used her skills from running This Mum Runs to start a C19 Aid Group in Bristol. In 72 hours they grew to 5,000 members on Facebook, and are now deployed supporting those at risk by delivering medicine and groceries.
11 of 15@pressuredropbrw
Tottenham craft brewery Pressure Drop's Pay It Forward scheme supports local businesses. For every 15 cans ordered in their online shop, they donate £25 to a pub, restaurant or retail outlet of the buyer's choice - supporting their stockists that can't open during lockdown. And, for the month of May, they are pledging to donate £10 to the Trussell Trust for every order over £70.
12 of 15@julesvonhep
Celebrity spray tanner, body positivity icon and self-confessed 'Human Sunshine', Jules Von Hep simply brings the joy.
13 of 15@BryonyGordon
Journalist and author Bryony Gordon is a long-time proponent of good mental health, and her feed is dedicated to reassuring words and relentless positivity.
14 of 15@greceghanem
Microbiologist-turned-personal trainer Grece Ghanem found herself becoming an Instagram style icon, after brands and followers fell for her feed. The super-cool 50something rocks her white hair and spectacular wardrobe with the kind of attitude we wish you could bottle.
15 of 15@sarashakeel
Instagram artist Sara Shakeel smothers everything with glitter, thus making it 100% more fun. Recently created a very special subscribers' cover for your favourite magazine.