Instagram is so much more than just square photos in an app. It is a vast social universe, chock-full of thousands of weird and wonderful subcultures. I love that we can choose our own accounts to follow, and have control over the type of content that we see. With that said, the market has become so saturated these days, it can be really easy to miss out on some truly amazing accounts that offer real value. Not to mention that our lizard brains just want to see abs and butts on repeat. ABS AND BUTTS!

Never fear my friend, I got you. I’ve compiled a list of the best Instagram accounts to follow for daily motivation and inspiration. My favourite accounts come from a variety of different corners of the Insta-verse, including travel (of course), self-love, alternative living, and general badassery. Though from different niches, these accounts all have something very important in common. That being, they all really focus on bringing you value, and want to help you to improve your life. In case you didn’t know by now, that’s my jam.😉

Before we get to the list, a super quick disclaimer: Each of the instagram accounts listed below are people that have motivated me personally, and I love to follow. No endorsements. Also, there will still be some abs and butts. Enjoy!

 

Motivation to pick up the camera & travel

@stephmylife

In 2016, Steph left London airport on a plane with her hubby, and they have been on a never-ending adventure ever since! She boasts a number of really knowledgeable travel guides, including in-depth itineraries, and how-to guides for a number of different countries. An all-rounder, she also has an amazing set of Lightroom editing tutorials which she regularly demonstrates on her Instagram stories. Steph shows you the tricks of the trade, making it seem possible that you too could take professional, insta-worthy pics. Her photos are truly incredible, and always get me so inspired to do more travelling, particularly in Asia. Also, she smiles a lot, and I dig that.

 

@benkealy

Ben is a 21 year old filmmaker who embraces life, working on a multitude of creative projects that take him all over the world. He has rubbed shoulders with some of the world’s most famous athletes and YouTubers, been to some crazy festivals, and recently documented his journey around Europe using only Red Bull as a bartering tool. Last year, he also started his own clothing line, and competed in a 400m race up a giant freaking ski jump! What I love about Ben’s journey is that you literally have no idea what he’ll be up to next. He is someone who grabs the bull by the horns, and takes every opportunity that comes his way. Shouldn’t we all be doing this?

 

Alternative Living

@elayna.carausu

Elayna is one half of an Australian couple who live the ultimate vagabond life: circumnavigating the globe in their sailboat. Despite having no idea how to sail initially, they have managed to travel over 7o,ooo nautical miles across multiple oceans. They’ve suffered terrifying storms, pirate scares, financial breakdowns, equipment failures, water shortages, and other interesting mishaps, but would never give up their dream for a life on land. I appreciate that kind of resilience. They use their social presence as a means to inspire others to explore alternative options of living, and to spread ocean awareness. If you like Elayna’s account, make sure to also check out her hubby too, @riley.whitelum.

 

@wander.horizons

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Wanderhorizons was created 1,5 years ago to share our van conversion and van travels.. so probably all of you amazing people who follow our journey are here because of #vanlife 🚐🤷‍♀️ At the moment you look at images from our travels in Southeast Asia, because it is what we do right now 🙂 but don’t worry we already have some exciting plans with our rolling home starting in January. Any idea where we might go? 🌍 ~ ~ ~ #wanderhorizons #wanderhorizonsinasia #travelbuddies #fernwehcollective #travellove #globetrotters #adventureseeker #travelcouple #lifeofadventures #adventurecouple #alwaysadventure #vanlifegermany #sommerdasganzejahr #explorers #adventurevibes #weltenbummler #letsgetlost #neuehorizonte #abenteuerlust #asien #reisefieber #asiatravel #traveldiary2018 #goexploring #travelbug #weltreise #adventurecouple #simplyadventure #findyouradventure

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Sina and Carsten are German adventurers who are all about embracing that van life. At the end of 2016, they quit their jobs to make their dream of a small home on wheels come true. They successfully converted their van and began living out their goals of seeing more of the world, living with less, stay healthy, and being free. Since then, they haven’t looked back, and are currently making their way through Asia. What I like so much about this account is that they make it look so cozy, and fun. Just two genuine people who love to explore, and have let us in on their amazing journey. Every time that I see a picture from them, it reminds to live with purpose everyday.

 

Fitness

@roblipsett

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MY JANUARY CHALLENGE👇🏼 I see some people on social media do these 30 day challenges and some can be kinda like a challenge to deprive yourself for 30 days and rebound after lol 😬 This one is a challenge to educate yourself on sound and sustainable training & nutrition principles and equip yourself with the knowledge for long term results that last much longer than 30 days 💪🏼 Really it’s not just 30 days, it’s the rest of your life, but with that said we have to put some time frame on it, you would also be surprised at how much you can do in a month if you stay committed 💯 Along with everything you get with the challenge I’m going to give €2,000 to someone who really puts in the work this month and makes me say wow they’ve earned it. I’ll also be giving out loads of other stuff to runners up too such as continued coaching, copies of my book, @Alphalete clothing and @GhostLifestyle supplements 💰 To enter go to RobLipsett.com and purchase either my book or download a plan on my app ‪before Jan 5th ‬and your email receipt / proof purchase is your entry ticket! If you picked up my book in store this of course counts too. More info on my story ☝🏼 Don’t forget to take a before photo holding a newspaper with the date on it 📰 That’s it! The main reason I’m doing this is to motivate as many people as I possibly can to start off 2019 the right way, get people lifting, watching what they eat and feeling more confident in themselves. Let’s get it 👊🏼 Use the hashtag #LFArmy and tag me in your posts when documenting your progress! I’ll be looking out 👀

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Rob is Ireland’s leading lifestyle and fitness influencer, quickly taking the world by storm. He is a sponsored athlete, a YouTuber and an entrepreneur, running Lipsett Fitness, Raw Gym Dublin, and The Creator Agency. Unlike most fitness personalities, he focuses on delivering value to all aspects of your life, not just your physique. While still providing valuable health and fitness information, he also teaches you how to be successful doing what you love, while maintaining a healthy lifestyle. The gym is not always the most important part of the day, which I like. Rob’s crazy adventures traveling around the world, his contagious smile, and positive outlook, will be certain to motivate you to improve your life.

 

@nuttyfoodiefitness

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Just incase I drown from the tears I shed from laughing.. at the trolls on the internet. OK no, that was a completeee joke! Real talk, thanks for the love on my latest YouTube video. I appreciate people having my back & supporting me. BUT.. I wanted to point out that the video was nott about ‘getting back at haters’. More so trying to highlight the completely distorted views people have on fitness & nutrition. Tbh I DON’T blame people for sometimes not getting it or me. For instance, for every 1 post made about embracing your own body there are 283728 posts on IG giving you 10 strict rules to stick to in order to reach ‘the perfect body’..(that doesn’t exist*), 2739 posts on grapes replacing malteasers, air replacing bread & 3837 celebrities holding up green drinks as filling meal replacements (that they’ve photographed beside their surgically enhanced body). – Anyway, I hope to continue to bring normality back into this industry. (Lol says the nutter 😂😂). On that note, WHO IS READY for all the nutcase food adventures from Cancun??????? 👀 – Ps. Fully aware that for every ‘hateful’ or misinformed message I receive, I get back an abundance of positive & meaningful messages. So don’t you worry, I take nothing personally & the positivity FAR outweighs the not so pleasant 😅 (you are all cute for being defensive though) xxxxx

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Nutty Foodie Fitness a.k.a Stephanie Joshi is hilariously silly and genuine. Sure, she’s ridiculously ripped and all that, but don’t be fooled, she brings far more value than your average fitspo account. Her mission is to teach you that if you put in the hard work at the gym, you can eat lots of delicious, food, without the need to restrict yourself. More than that, she encourages and inspires people to be courageous, chase their goals, and live life to the absolute fullest. With her raw, informative captions and stories, she will motivate you to become the best version of yourself in the most positive and entertaining way possible. Bonus points for doing all of this while simultaneously working her 9-5 as a graphic designer!

 

Positive vibes

@globalpositivenews

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Many universities around the world have been investigating ways to develop 3D-printed bones for the past few years, but most of the present techniques and materials are years away from clinical use. + It is therefore especially exciting to report about a successful 3D-printed rib implant into 35-year-old patient in Sofia, Bulgaria. The potentially life-saving surgery is the first of its kind worldwide, using this particular method. + …For the purposes of the surgery, 3dBG print used FDA-approved material, Nylon 680, which not only withstands the high temperatures needed for sterilization, but is also much more affordable to manufacture compared to traditional titanium implants and its properties close to those of a natural rib. + The implant was created in less than 24 hours and the total cost was less than 100 euro. ••• @globalpositivenews @globalpositivenews @globalpositivenews . . . #kindness #kindnessmatters #randomactsofkindness #actsofkindness #caring #heartwarming #positivepsychology #globalpositivenews #news #tanksgoodnews #Positivenews #positivenergy #positivity #onemillionactsofgood #3dprinted #3dprinting #implant #3dprintedimplant #breakthrough #surgery

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A very simple but brilliant idea, GPN shares positive news stories daily. The aim of the account is for you to read heart-warming stories, get inspired, and be excited about life. From people secretly paying off the hospital bills of others, to police officers swimming through frozen lakes to save puppies, it’s got everything you need to restore your faith in humanity. Guaranteed to put a smile on your face, and a nice way to add some authentic goodness to your feed, GPN is my Insta-saviour!

 

@ckelso

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Last summer, I finally uncovered a way to make fitness a priority in my life, which is a goal that makes it onto my resolution list just about every year because I just hate exercise so darn much. ⠀ ⠀ Some friends recommended @orangetheory to me and to my surprise I actually really enjoyed it. For two months Jason and I formed a habit of going 2-3 times a week, and the consistency was starting to pay off in my strength levels, stamina and changes in my body I could actually see. I’ll be honest, I was really proud of myself. ⠀ ⠀ THEN… in September I got shingles. 🙄🤕 My entire routine was demolished as I fought my way back to my healthy, non-shingley self. Even after I was back to “normal” around November, I gave myself permission to ease back into exercise, which meant I wasn’t ready to go back to the more high intensity workouts at Orange Theory. ⠀ ⠀ Over those few months of being sick, many weeks of which were literally just spent in bed, I could feel my fitness progress backsliding. The muscle definition faded, my stamina lessened and my confidence in the gym deteriorated. But, I did my best not to beat myself up over it. I knew it was more important that I heal my body (and mind) before I began to challenge it again. I told myself that I’d go back again in the new year. ⠀ ⠀ Yesterday we finally made our way back to an @orangetheory class. (Spoiler alert: it kicked my 🍑). Yes, there was a part of me that was disppaointed that it felt like I was starting back at square one. Like all my hard work last summer was for nothing. And I definitely had a few moments where “starting over” made me feel like I had failed somehow. But everytime my thoughts went there, I reminded myself that it’s not about why or how you fall off the wagon, it’s whether or not you get back on. ⠀ ⠀ If you had goals or intentions you started last year but never finished, and you’re mad or disappointed in yourself for feeling like you have to start back at the beginning, I encourage you to find some compassion for yourself (as I’m trying to do for myself.)⠀ ⠀ If you choose to start again, it’s not a sign of your failure, it’s a sign of your perserverance. 💪

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Ckelso a.k.a Caroline Kelso Zook is a visual artist and authenticity enthusiast. Her carefully crafted Instagram account is bursting with vibrant colour, and wholesome quotes. The in-depth captions are just amazing too; they are so real and honest, that sometimes they just floor me. Her honesty about personal struggles always serve as a practical reminder that we’re all fighting through something, and not everything on Instagram is as rosy as it seems. Her inspiring words focus on self-love, positivity, and mindset building. Caroline’s account has served as a pick-me-up more times that I can count, saving me from giving in to negative thoughts, and motivating me to keep working on my goals.

 

General Badassery

@explorer_sarahmarquis

Sarah Marquis is a Swiss explorer, speaker and writer who was recently nominated as National Geographic Adventurer of the Year. Her powerful stories have much to offer about the resilience of people, and how we’re so much tougher than we think. Sarah recently spent three months traveling the west coast of Tasmania alone, collecting data on plant life for the Australian government. While on this trip, she accidentally fell into a gorge, and broke her shoulder. Nonetheless, she continued on, carrying her 35kg backpack  on it for three more days until she eventually received treatment. Sarah shows you the power of personal growth, overcoming fear, and listening to your instincts.

 

@davidgoggins

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It's the day before Badwater and I'm sitting in my hotel room thinking what the hell am I doing here?! For the last two months my health has been taking a turn for the worse. I have gained 10 pounds and can't run over 2 miles without stopping and walking home. I don't have the time to explain all that was going wrong with me. Long story short my body was shutting down. I have been unhealthy for several years. I have shown up to most of my races in bad health, and just said fuck it. I did the same thing at this Badwater. The course was different this year. It had a 20+ mile climb to start the race. At the top you ran back down the same climb you went up. As I was coming down I knew I was fucked. I felt bad in so many races and was able to walk to the finish line. But this time I wasn't going to be able to "Goggins" through this race. The dark place I can go was gone. My crew can tell I'm in bad shape. At mile 47 I had to go to my hotel room and try to recover. After 2 hours I gave it another go. I made it another 5 miles and had to quit the race. I had to go to the emergency room the next day. For the next several months a few doctors tried to figure out what was wrong with me. I couldn't run a step or go to the gym. I was in the worst shape of my life. All I could do was stretch out for hours a day. As I sat there in the worst shape of my life unable to workout, my only thought was I'm going to win Badwater next year! I haven't gone back since the race is not the same and in 2015 my family went through a rough time. If the race goes back to a day time start I will be there. The moral of the story is what the fuck do you think about when life is choking you out? I think "well I still have a breath of air so I still have a chance to fuck you up!!" Even while on your back with no energy think about victory! #Mindset #BeyondMotivated Edit to original post: this was Badwater 2014 that I am talking about above. I have spent the last three years getting healthy. I am now in the best shape I have been in a long time. Thanks for the concern and sorry for any confusion.

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David is an accomplished endurance athlete, having completed over 60 ultra-marathons, triathlons, and ultra-triathlons, setting new course records, and regularly placing in the top five. He even once held the Guinness World Record for pull-ups, completing 4,030 in 17 hours. Yet, all of the awards mean nothing to him. He’s all about achieving his personal best and pushing himself well past his comfort zone, just to see what he’s made of. This guy changed my life, and was the inspiration for my 40% rule article. The motivational videos he posts on Instagram will be sure to get you fired up, as he discusses his transformation from overweight and lazy to super fit and motivated, and how you can too.

 

Self Love

@marieewold

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I found the key to HAPPINESS 🔐 ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ And it’s everywhere this time of year. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Haven’t you noticed that everyone is happier, more generous, and more grounded during the holiday months?? ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ I mean yeah, that might be partially due to the power of a good sweater… but it’s something else, too. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ It’s this little thing called GRATITUDE. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ And simply put, gratitude brings joy. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Gratitude teaches us that life doesn’t have to be perfect to be amazing. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Gratitude teaches us to pause and enjoy the small things, like the color of the sunset, or the sound of raindrops on your window. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ And it’s awesome to practice gratitude through the holidays… ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ But here’s the deal: If you wait for holidays, vacations, and special occasions to feel grateful, and therefore feel JOYOUS…. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ You’re gonna spend most of your life feeling pretty “meh”. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ And I’m NOT about that life, are you?? ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ We have to choose gratitude year-round. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ We can CHOOSE to find the goodness in our lives, no matter how small. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ I know that some days, the goodness feels so small… and other days, it’s right in front of our faces ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ But no matter what, it’s ALWAYS there. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ And I’m only 23, so this is subject to change (😆)… but I truly think that GRATITUDE is the key to a happy life 🔐 ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ So, friend— what’s just ONE thing you’re grateful for? ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Comment below and I’ll pick one person to send a $10 Starbucks gift card to, because I’m grateful for YOU, for reading my daily novels here on Instagram 😅❤️ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ #GRINDANDBEGRATEFUL

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Marie Wold is a powerhouse of inspiration and self love. She is an expert on fitness and nutrition, and a certified personal trainer, but certainly no one trick pony. Marie’s content revolves around taking care of yourself as a whole: mind, body, and soul. She teaches physical wellness (fitness & nutrition), mental wellness (life coaching & healthy habits), and how to live a fulfilling life (being your best, happy self!). For Marie, mindset is a powerful thing than that either help you, or destroy you, and she wants to make sure you have the best one that you can possibly have. You can tell that she really loves what she does because it just beams through her, which in itself is really inspiring and motivating.

 

@paulfishman

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Do you have $7? – For the next seven days I’m donating all profits from the sale of the $7 Seven Day Trial of Self Love LIVE to the Red Cross. Link in bio to donate now. – Why am I doing this? I wanted to find a way to support YOU and the people who are suffering due to the California fires. – With your $7 donation you will receive access to my training in morning routine from last month and tomorrow’s live training in practicing gratitude during difficult times. – This is truly a win win for all of us. I get to support you through this trying time, you get to make a difference by bettering yourself and we get to come together as a unit to send love and light into this world. – Please click the link in bio to donate $7 now or visit www.paulf.love/redcross – PLEASE SHARE THIS IN YOUR STORIES! – #redcross #donation #selflove

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Paul Fishman is a self love coach from San Diego, U.S.A. He thinks of self love as a form of medicine, and puts all of his efforts into helping people live a life full of joy, passion, and laughter. His Instagram is full of helpful advice, inspiration, colour, and most importantly giggles. He even offers some delicious and nutritious plant based recipes, to help you feel and become your healthy best. Paul is a ray of sunshine, and always brightens up my day when I see his posts. He’s funny, cheeky and gives great advice – what’s not to love?

 

Next Level Realness & NO BS self-development

@garyvee

I just couldn’t write this list without mentioning Gary Vee. Gary is literally the king of meaningful content, pumping out insane levels of useful advice everyday. His Instagram account serves as the ultimate fuel to fire you up, and get after your goals. His no excuses approach is all about encouraging self-responsibility and accountability, making you realise that the only thing that’s standing in the way of your dreams, is you. Gary is all about authenticity, accountability, and hard damn work. He will motivate, inspire, and educate you to know nothing is impossible when you take calculated, consistent, and patient action on your goals. Gary is also a master investor and CEO, giving out excellent marketing and branding advice for free. If you’re stuck trying to do anything in life, Gary is sure to help you take action.

 

@melrobbinslive

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If your goals seem unattainable— you’ve got to shift your #mindset. If you only focus on writing the book, you’ll never write a single sentence. Today I want you to stop overwhelming yourself with the big picture and focus on just ONE step you can take. Listen to a podcast on the way to work. Do a google search. Sign up for a free online class. Send an e-mail and ask someone to coffee. Any of these things can lead you to your next step— and most of them take less than ten minutes. Every morning I figure out the one thing I can do to get closer to my goals. It works like a charm and it’s been a game changer for my productivity. In today’s live #MindsetReset session I’ll be walking you through my process so that you can achieve your goals too. If you're not signed up yet, go to melrobbins.com/MindsetReset or the link in my bio. What’s ONE thing you’re going to do today? Tell me in the comments.

A post shared by Mel Robbins (@melrobbins) on

Mel Robbins is a master at inspiring positive change. She is a vlogger, serial entrepreneur, motivational speaker, and the CEO of The Confidence Project. You’ve probably heard of ‘the 5 second rule’, the principle that teaches you to count down from 5 and then just take action on whatever it is you’re procrastinating – she came up with that! Mel gives tons of valuable lessons on managing anxiety, developing the right mindset, dealing with tough situations, being kinder to yourself, and just how to live a happier, and more successful life. She is super relatable, and really has thought of every possible excuse you could come up with, and gives you a reason to push through anyway. Now, 5-4-3-2-1, follow her!

 

Did your favourite make the list?

I really hope that you found some awesome new accounts to follow that will help keep you inspired long into 2019.😎

Are you following some other amazing accounts that didn’t make the list? If so, please let me know what your best Instagram accounts are in the comment section below. I want to follow them too!

Happy ‘gramming ❤️