To ask what you would think of a colleague posting on social media?

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I have lost quite a lot of weight and started running. I initially started posting about running about a month ago on social media as a way to keep me accountable, but it’s sort of taken off and I’ve gained 1200 followers in a month. I’m really enjoying posting and sharing, and I’ve got quite a little community going with other women.

But I’m a little bit worried about my colleagues finding out. Not because I’m embarrassed of what I’ve posted (it’s mainly just photos or short videos), but because I feel like it’s quite cringeworthy until you hit a decent amount of followers. So what would you think if you found out about your colleague doing this?

YABU - shut it down, you’re an adult and don’t need to post.

YANBU - keep posting, it’s great.

Op I'm going to be totally honest here.

It's people like you who have inspired me to lose weight and get fit.

For the last few years my health has declined and my weight has went up.

For the last month I've been following just ordinary folk doing fitness online, not the big flashy people with millions of followers and something to prove, the people who are building a small community and doing it because they love it.

I haven't got to running yet and probably won't for quite some time, but through walking and diet alone I've lost a stone in weight in a month, mainly down to people like you keeping me inspired and motivated.

If your colleagues find out and take the piss because you have a passion/hobby, and are quietly motivating people like me then that makes them assholes, and I wouldn't give a shit what an asshole thought about me.

Personally I think you're brilliant, and although I dont post on SM you can be sure for every follower you have, you probably have another person quietly watching and being inspired too.

Keep going if it makes you feel good and others respond to it. However, some may well start to get bored of this stuff as the novelty wears off.

I think your point about it being cringe until you hit a decent amount of followers is off. Cringe is highly subjective and not something buffered by having more followers.

Sounds like perhaps you’re seeking validation. Maybe that’s beneficial to you.

Being totally honest, I would think it was cringy and attention seeking! But I would just silently judge and then carry on with my day😂

PS, I am sure you don't but don't post during working hours. It will make it too easy for a colleague to criticise you.

Probably somewhat depends on how senior you are/how important professional image is in your line of work. Personally I would never do this but it’s also not harming anyone, as long as you don’t start becoming too self obsessed by it. I had a colleague who posted endlessly on social media about herself, daily selfies, her weight loss journey, and loads of endless cryptic messages trying to solicit attention and sympathy, for example her ex boyfriend died (several years after they had broken up) and she milked that tragedy on her insta for three years straight. I didn’t know her well personally (we met at a work drinks once and she requested to follow me so I followed her back) but she later applied for a job in my team and I wont lie, part of the reason I didn’t even consider her was because her social media made her come across as self obsessed and a huge drama llama.

So it's the number of followers that is galvanising you, not just the fact of documenting your running?

I see no issue with you essentially blogging your running, but it's a bit teenage TikTok to be this agog about your follower nunbers.

I’ve always been pretty boring, so it’s a bit funny to me that so many people are interested and engaging with what I post

If I’m posting in work hours it’s only during my lunch and never anything to do with work!

If it was just running and not some weird niche thing to get views, go for it. I would follow if I was interested and ignore if not.

I know a few people with social media followings - one makes a living from it, the others it's just part of their business (art/fitness/style areas) and they have a few thousand followers. None of their social media accounts are particularly interesting to me, because it's mostly just my mate's job and not my hobby/interest.

Be proud you’re doing a great thing and it’s not silly at all if your colleagues see it. So what 😄

Keep posting!

I find wannabe influencers really cringey but it doesn’t sound like you’re being cringey.

I honestly don’t think anyone would bat an eyelid over it.

At this stage you should just assume at least one of your colleagues know. Some may find it cringe, others might find it cool.

If you post publicly and want to create a kind of community you just need to not care about what others think.

I recently told someone from a hobby group that i always see them on my FYP on tiktok and we had a little joke about him making money from it.

or even know?

Personally I would think it’s great and would follow my colleagues page if I didn’t already!
I wonder if some of it is to do with age as well - I do think younger generations may be more supportive of it as it’s just a normal part of how they’ve grown up and every one has an online presence. It’s not that weird to know people who have a high number of followers. I used to work with a guy who randomly started getting lots more follows online and he was able to leave work and travel using his social media presence and post about it.
It’s probably still a bit of a strange thing to people who didn’t grow up with social media (I say this as someone who is early 30’s, so right on the brink of when this all became
more normal, but didn’t grow up with it being normal).
I think it sounds like you’ve got a lovely community online and if there’s over 1000 people who enjoy what you’re doing, why doesn’t matter if 2 or 3 think it’s a bit odd?

Are you instagram Op? Id like to folliw!

Literally nothing. 🤷🏻‍♀️ I have a colleague who has an instagram account for decorating her shitty new build. It’s like one of those home design accounts, except she has like 200 followers and it’s a crappy new build with some scary prison yard of a garden. It’s the most non Insta house ever. 😂 I literally don’t care. I mean I think it’s a bit ridiculous just because her house is so ordinary. But I follow her and think it’s fine. I have a health focused instagram account. I would cringe a bit at the thought of a colleague following me because it’s quite personal, but that’s the only reason.

I used to have a blog (recipes) back when blogs were a thing. No-one ever said anything.

Another colleague however, had a blog (that she hoped would turn into a book deal.... it didn't) where she detailed her sex life, including her love for giving blow jobs. People had quite a bit to say about that. Mainly how cringe it was and how inappropriate, not least because she was open about where she worked.

I have another colleague where i work now who does ultra marathons after starting off doing a couch-5k. She posts alot of her insta and facebook. We all think it's great.

yep. This.

But what does that have to do with whether your colleagues think the whole enterprise is cringeworthy or not? You don't suddenly become interesting because you have a bazillion followers. Besides, don't you think your colleagues know whether or not you're boring better than a bunch of internet strangers?

If I saw your blog, I would be please for you and the progress that you have made.

Just do it - they can hide / unfollow you if they want.

I am a runner , not on Strava and no longer on social media.

Did a marathon for charity so did share that to request sponsorship !

One of my colleagues did this about weight lifting. He has about 3.5k followers. His posts are interesting and fun and shows his progress from addiction and homelessness 10 years ago to where he is now.
Nobody has said a bad word about it and colleagues have followed him.
Its not a problem and actually quite inspiring.

I would say
Don't limit yourself because of what others might think. They most likely are not thinking of you at all.
Also, women that run should cheer each other on. If you have 1200 cheering you on, that is great.

I wouldn´t give a damn whether you had 1.2 followers or 1,200,000.
And why would you care what anyone thinks?
You do what makes you happy.