How your blog identity can change your life

According to new research from Penn State University, virtual versions of ourselves can improve our health and well-being.

Your virtual image can affect your real life in ways you’ve never expected. People who customize their virtual selves are more likely to have a healthier lifestyle, according to the article by Matt Swayne. Customizing an avatar may even encourage you to exercise more and stick to a healthy diet.

“The act of customizing an avatar seems to create a personal connection between people and their virtual alter egos and sticks with them in real life,” said S. Shyam Sundar, Distinguished Professor of Communications and co-director of the Media Effects Research Laboratory.

It’s true not only for virtual reality games like Second Life. This can be applied to your blog selves too.

I’ve noticed ever since the day virtual Marta Frant (it’s me) was born that I become a better person incrementally.

First, I’ve put my photo on my blog, thus confirming the stereotype that Russian girls are the most beautiful in the world. In doing so, I kind of took responsibility for this image. I feel that I should maintain the beauty bias in order to take and upload another photo someday, not worse than previous one (haven’t succeeded… yet). So, now, I’m more motivated to take care of my appearance and health.

Secondly, as a Russian blogger, I write posts in a second language. I know English so well that I can run a successful blog and communicate with other bloggers effortlessly. Of course, that’s not true. Constant memorizing, learning, correcting, Multitran-not-responding are always behind the scenes. Hence, I tend to become more oriented toward continuous language enhancement.

Finally, in my recent post I’ve told you that I’d started learning Italian. What a wonderful opportunity to become a polyglot! But, to be frank, after publishing that post I stopped learning it. Okay, it this case it hasn’t worked out but you can’t deny it could do so!

So do you observe any changes in your life?

How has your virtual self modified you?