I can't be basic on Instagram anymore and it's all because of Stories

Our Instagram Stories are awash with snapshots of our everyday lives. But, now that there's a hidden trove reserved for our most private — and dare-I-say basic — snaps. Instagram's already-very-high bar for posts has crept to a scary new height. 

Recently, somewhere between posting photos of chilled glasses of rosé and intricate latte art on my Story, I noticed a drastic shift in the way I was using the app. So drastic that I'm frozen by self-doubt when I go to post anything on my main grid. 

A few weeks ago, I did something I've been doing for years: I uploaded a photo to Instagram. That sunny evening, I casually posted a snap of my garden on my Story complete with a "lit" sticker. But, when I went to share a similar photo on my main feed, I hesitated for a moment. "Is this really Insta-worthy?" I asked myself. My finger hovered nervously over the "Share" button. I hit the button and instantly regretted it. I worried that the photo wasn't good enough, that it was too basic. I opened and closed the app five times before eventually opting to delete the photo entirely.  Read more...