Austin Chui, 21 years oldHe started making videos to keep himself accountable in his quest for a healthy lifestyle. “When hundreds of thousands of people are watching, you cannot be lazy,”He said. Chui’s videos — often of just him preparing to go the gym — are part of a uniquely soothing trend (you can find many under the #dailyvlog hashtag on TikTok) where creators invite you to savor even the mundane details of everyday life.
Nabela, one of the most famous faces of the trend, began her collection of videos called “Nabela Noor”. Pockets Of Peace During the initial days of quarantine. “I wanted to put out content that felt like a breath of fresh air amidst the noise and chaos,” Noor says. “A sort of virtual gratitude journal to cope. It was so healing for me personally, but what was so incredible and life-changing was discovering how much it helped others and inspired them to find their own “pockets of peace.”
The 30-year-old author, serial entrepreneur, and influencer isn’t alone in seeing the potential for inspiration in the everyday. Atlanta-based foursome @Lovethetillerys hopes to inspire Black couples through their Instagram pages and TikTok accounts. Here they post videos playing with their children, shopping for groceries, and cleaning up the house. It is their goal to make it possible for young Black couples to see their lives in theirs.
Chui’s content often sees him making breakfast, preparing to go to the gym, and doing other activities that contribute to his lifestyle. And while some creators might walk viewers through their daily activities, other creators, like Youtuber and beauty influencer Jackie Aina, choose toPay attention to the details of their lives. She takes viewers on a tour through her extravagantly decorated home with the aim of allowing them to enjoy the daily luxury she has. “For a long time, I sort of struggled with owning that part of me because I oftentimes feel like I have to be humble and modest,”Aina says. “That’s such a huge thing in the Black community, especially for women, who are not allowed to ask for more or ask for better. That was what kind of inspired me to enjoy things both privately and publicly.”
Aanu Jide Ojo, a psychotherapist believes that this trend’s sweet spot is the comfort it offers viewers who are open to it. Ojo describes the feeling like “rewatching your favorite tv show, you know all the plot twists but you’ve engaged anyway, it’s a nice way to undo your day and in some studies rewatching shows helps with emotional regulation, and it creates a sense of control. I imagine that same effect is created with these daily vlogs.”
TThere are concerns about the potential for it to make everyday routines unrealistic and idealize them. “I do think there is a certain group of people who do quite a bit of embellishing in these daily vlogs,”Aina says. “But it doesn’t necessarily mean you have to take it and try to live up to that standard.”
“It can be another take on productivity hype,” Ojo says. “If one is struggling with getting through functioning daily, it may be difficult to watch someone wake up, hop out of bed and do the things they struggle to get through, like doing your chores or a 10-step skincare routine.”
However, the trend points to a shift toward humility on social media. “I like that nowadays it’s getting more real. We’re seeing a lot more authenticity than we ever have before but I think it’s getting more and more realistic,”Aina continues. “I think now more than ever, people are pushing to be themselves more and it is inspiring to see.”