In 2024, social media was all about MAXXING.

We were bombarded with endless suggestions on how to improve every facet of our lives, from our finances to our overnight mouth breathing.

And, to be honest, I think most of us are a bit over all the “self-optimisation” (because, y’all, that sh*t is exhausting). So, is there more social-media-induced levelling up in our future? Or are we all ready to chill out a bit this year?

In today's newsletter:

• 3 Cultural shifts that will shape 2025 (and how to get out in front of them)

• Elon announces X is about to become more “positive” (but is that a good thing?)

• Trend plug - My Shayla

• Ask the Editor - I’m posting a lot but my brand account’s not growing!

- Charlotte, Editor ♡

2024 was the year of "maxxing."

Hustle harder. Optimise everything. And go all-in on self-improvement.

The collective ethos of maxxing out infiltrated every corner of culture.

Whether it was financial maxxing (learning to day trade on TikTok), aesthetic maxxing (facial gua sha, but make it militant), or even sleep maxxing (yes, that’s a thing) - the obsession with doing more, being better, and achieving peak efficiency reached new heights.

But as we welcome 2025, the question looms: have we finally maxxed ourselves out?

And if so, what comes next?

Maxxing started as an empowering idea—the notion that you could take charge of your life and squeeze the most out of every moment.

In a world where personal agency often feels limited, the promise of levelling up—whether physically, financially, or mentally—was intoxicating.

Brands, influencers, and thought leaders jumped on the trend, creating an ecosystem of tools, products, and content to fuel our collective self-optimisation obsession.

But there’s a dark side to constantly striving for more.

The relentless pursuit of improvement has left many people teetering on the edge of burnout. Social media, once a source of inspiration, now feels like a competition to out-max the next person.

But then, what comes after maxxing?

[Keep reading for 3 cultural shifts & 3 strategies to ride the wave]

-Sophie, Writer

Elon Announces X is About to Become More “Positive”

Elon Musk is trying to make X a happy place.

Which is funny, because under his reign, it’s often felt more like a dumpster fire with Wi-Fi.

And now, selective positivity, which is different from censorship, right Mr. Musk?

On Jan 4th, the tech overlord announced an “algorithm tweak” that would soon be hitting the platform in order to “promote more informational/ entertaining content.”

The goal, according to Musk, is to maximise unregretted user-seconds. “Too much negativity is being pushed that technically grows user time, but not unregretted user time.”

Oh, the irony of the free speech champion silencing negativity.

Of course, Musk’s announcement has sparked more questions than answers.

What counts as negativity? Is it critique? Journalism that tells hard truths? Advocacy for marginalised communities?

Is this about muffling anything that doesn’t align with Musk’s whims—or worse, political agendas? Because if history has taught us anything about Elon Musk, it’s that nothing he does is apolitical, no matter how loudly he proclaims otherwise.

Ok, so what’s behind the “negativity” shift?

[Keep reading]

-Sophie, Writer

Trend Plug - “My Shayla”

An emotional clip from Tyrese Gibson’s heartfelt 2017 video has just become TikTok’s latest viral sound.

In the original video, Tyrese tearfully cries, "Oh my god, my Shayla," referring to his daughter Shayla. TikTok has taken this deeply personal moment and turned it into a humorous way to declare exaggerated love or attachment.

Fore example, one creator captioned their video, "How I am bout my iPad."  Whether it’s nostalgia, obsession, or a funny take on something you can’t let go of, this trend is perfect for expressing your over-the-top devotion.

How you can jump on this trend:

Think of someone or something you’re unreasonably attached to—an old friend, a nostalgic item, or even your perfectly colour-coded work calendar.

Use the sound, and film yourself delivering a dramatic “My Shayla” moment with OST describing what it is you're so obsessed with.

A few ideas to get you started:

• "Me to my perfectly colour-coded Google Calendar."

• "Me when I think about my work bestie from my old job."

• "When the client actually approves the first draft with no edits."

-Abdel, Social Media Coordinator

Today on the YAP podcast…

Want even more ‘YAP’ing? Check out the full podcast here.

Ask the Editor

Q - I'm in charge of creating content for a skincare brand. I've been posting heaps but our followers aren't growing. Any tips for me? - Maddie

Hey Maddie!

The first thing I'd do is review your analytics as your best and worst performing content. Look for patterns so you can start to get an idea of what worked and what didn't.

If it's static content, pay extra attention to your hook and your images. If it's video content, look at things like your on-screen text, audio quality, your hook, and visual style.

Next, you need to start experimenting. Change one thing at a time and test how that affects your performance. Keep in mind that, if your goal is to grow your audience, you want people to engage and share your content.

As you make tweaks, you'll begin to see what gets you the results you want. Then do more of that!

- Charlotte, Editor ♡

For the group chat

😲WTF: Canada’s prime minister RESIGNS
❤How wholesome: never skip a hopecore video
😊Soooo satisfying: watch this before you sleep
🍝What you should make for dinner tonight: Honey chipotle chicken garlic buns

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