Whether you like it or not, the digital age has affected your life.

And it probably has something to do with the device you carry in your purse that’s become a necessity – your phone.

Not only is your phone a tool with all sorts of apps to make life easier, but it can distract you, make you form new habits, entertain you, and cause you to behave differently than you’ve ever acted before.

Case in point: Check out the photos on your phone. Have you saved at least one selfie in it over the past few months, weeks, or days?

I figured as much.

I, like you, have made a habit of taking selfies.

Admittedly, I have sets of selfies saved on my phone. “Sets” because sometimes I become temporarily obsessed with capturing what I think is the perfect pose, resulting in a dozen or more images in my selfie album.

When I think about it, I can’t help but crack up.

Self-portraiture is nothing new. Many famous artists including Frida Kahlo, one of my favorites, painted 55 self-portraits. I especially love Self-Portrait with Thorn Necklace and Hummingbird, 1940 because of its symbolism.

Self-photography isn’t new either, with the first by a dude named Robert Cornelius dating back to 1839.

The selfie prevails as a common practice of our modern digital culture prompted by the web, social sharing, and our fixation with self.

Unlike self-portraiture or self-photography, selfies aren’t intended to depict human artistry or visual expression, but I may be wrong.

Selfies became a thing because of the Internet and social media and although we may not use selfie sticks as much anymore, selfies will probably stick around as long as the Internet exists.

In 2013, Oxford Dictionary declared selfie the word of the year, defining it as “a photograph that one has taken of oneself, typically one taken with a smartphone or webcam and uploaded to a social media website.”

This particular cultural phenomenon boggles my mind.

I guess because, back in the day, we didn’t take selfies.  

The Internet and its social communities didn’t exist yet. We didn’t have smartphones or front-facing cameras on our Cannons and Polaroids. Tripods and self-timers weren’t used by the average teenager. Our self-absorption manifested itself differently because we didn’t have Instagram or Facebook.

As a teen in the 80s, I spent what seemed like hours in the mirror, and not my phone, combing my half shaved, perfect asymmetrical bob. I can’t help but hear my mother yelling at my 15-year old self, “Girl, get out of that mirror and go fold those clothes!”

Again, self-absorption manifested differently.

But here I am today, 50 years old, taking pictures of myself to save on my phone and share with others.  

The more I engage in this modern cultural practice, the more I wonder, “What is the purpose of a selfie? Why am I obsessed with taking pictures of myself?”

Then I dig a little deeper and ask, “Am I self-absorbed? Why do I take selfie after selfie, bent on capturing what I believe is the perfect pose?

Seems to me I need help.

Ya think?  

Because I often ponder existentialism and these type of concerns occupy my mind, I’ve decided to redefine “the selfie” and the purpose it serves in my life.

A selfie should force me to look inward first.

Before I get bent out of shape by my amateur posing ability, the dark circles under my eyes no concealer can seem to hide, picking a filter to make me appear angelic or plucking that chin hair no one can see but me, what if I direct my attention inward?

Questions like, “What is the condition of my heart? What is my current mood? What’s on my mind? Am I aware of my present state of being? Is there something going on internally that needs attention? What inner work do I need to continue?” can lead me to a more accurate picture of who I am better than any selfie ever can.

Only when I acquire an awareness of self, aligned with reality and not some distorted view or filtered image, can I grow, change, and ultimately become who I aspire to be.

And as fun, as it is to snap pics of myself or angle the camera just right to capture my best side, selfies declare my existence, first to myself, and then to others when I post them on Instagram.

Selfies act as mirrors, reminding me of who I am because sometimes in the busyness of life, I forget. The key is to go beyond what I see and focus on what I don’t see immediately; the inward parts of me.

What do you think is the purpose of the selfie? Is it a mindless habit, a fun way to use your phone, or does it have a deeper meaning? The next time you take a selfie, I encourage you to look beyond that perfectly posed photograph and ask yourself the inward questions I asked earlier. Spend some time in your journal, reflecting on the purpose of selfies in your life. If you want to chat with me about it, hit me up at zoe@gonegirlgo.com.