I’m Over 50 and I Am Loving TikTok

You may be rolling your eyes right now and I get it. When I first saw the ads for TikTok more than a year ago, I thought to myself, do we really need another platform and especially one just filled with short silly videos? I couldn’t imagine myself ever being on it and who has the time to even make videos? A year passed and I didn’t give any thought to TikTok until the past couple of months…

And that is when my daughter-in-law started sending me funny videos via text messages. The videos weren’t highly produced and were made by just regular people, not celebrities or people with model, movie star looks or charisma. The videos felt like something that my friends would do without a camera and pre-covid. The videos made me laugh and after the third one or so, I started scrolling through TikTok and I would spend 15 minutes or so enjoying myself. Then, after a few more days, I created an account.

Now, it took about a couple of weeks before the algorithm really clicked in, and that is one of the things that makes TikTok so much fun. You see, at first, I was fed the types of videos that my daughter-in-law watched because those were the videos that she had sent me and I would watch all the way through to the end and click on the heart to show that I liked it. But as time went on, the video feed changed and to my delight, it changed for the better! I am fed a lot of videos with the hashtag #over50 and I am discovering so many talented people my age an older! People who cook delicious meals, people who dance the hustle, people who garden, people who do carpentry and more! But I am not limited to just stories of people my age… this is really a whole community. And it is what makes TikTok exciting.

What also makes TikTok fun is that it is not just about watching videos. It is about being inspired. Since being on TikTok, I have pushed myself to break through my comfort zone and make videos for my business, both on my website and on TikTok. In fact, you may not know it, but I post the TikTok videos onto Instagram  and Facebook Stories (to see them, go to our Facebook or Instagram page and click on the Circle that says Nature Reflections… they are hidden, I don’t know why Facebook does that since stories can be so much fun.) Besides making videos. I have been inspired to make connections and friendships with others. Just a few things I have learned on TikTok is:

• Just about anything can be put into an air fryer, including fruit, which definitely satisfies my sweet tooth!
• I made a light box to take photos- it cost less than $20 to make it myself and is much better than the one I bought last year.
• I’ve learned lots of little hacks in regards to taking care of plants and propagating them
• I tie-dyed a T-Shirt using Avocado pits and peels (and guess what? It comes out to a very lovely shade of mauve/pink.)
• I’ve discovered hideaway nature places in Florida that I never knew existed! (And I always thought I knew every crevice of this state- boy was I wrong!)

However, the one thing I have gained the most being on TikTok is a renewed sense of hope. I am so impressed by Generation Z (the bulk of TikTok users.) Many of the Z-ers include their parents and grandparents into their videos. This generation also seems to be big fans of the things we grew up with… many are fans of Stevie Nicks and music from the 60s and 70s. They are crafters, musicians, plant people, artists and creatives. Some have converted old vans into homes on wheels. It touches my heart to see how much they care about nature and community and personal growth. Their enthusiasm and wonder takes me back to that energy I had when I was their age, looking at the world as a plethora of opportunities and adventure.

So, if you are looking for something that is fun and you want to know what the buzz is about, then you may want to check out TikTok. And, if you do go on the platform, please stop by my page at @naturereflectionsjewelry where you will see videos of my dog, nature (my first video was of a peacock that was in a parking lot at a taco stand) and of course, jewelry.

About the Author- Theresa Touhey is a writer, painter, nature-enthusiast, entrepreneur who owns NatureReflectionsJewelry.com. She loves to travel, hang out with her recued Havanese dog and visit her two adorable grandsons.