Why I said Bye to Insta for a Month
Roughly a month ago I ditched the toxic relationship I had with Instagram and Facebook. I deleted the apps from my phone and waited for myself to miss it. But, to my surprise I didn’t. I didn’t miss it one bit, it had become a nagging and sometimes daunting chore. It was no longer a fun creative way to connect but a sad and lonely box I checked every day. Using up huge portions of my time with little to no pay out. Just more stress and reminders of the chaos in the world.
The first few days were weird, it was almost like phantom limb syndrome. I’d find myself looking at my phone and thinking something was missing but not sure what. Then, a second later I’d realize it was one of the countless times a day I checked it. Checking to see how many likes my last post got, how many followers I had, any dms, etc. Going through the motions instead of actually utilizing it as a community like it was always intended.
The immediate difference was the extra time, it was honestly crazy. All the times I was wishing I had more hours in the day were literally right in front of me. Wasted on mindless scrolling and detrimental comparison-- I had been breeding this virus in my life. Every moment of self-doubt, worry, or stress feeding it till it swallowed me up. I had tricked myself into thinking these tasks were all for the sake of my business and that it’d fall apart if I missed even a day.
Well, here I am on the other side, laughing and laughing. Instagram wasn’t writing me checks and it sure as hell wasn’t making it easy to reach people. I realized over those 30 days that I had put too much stock in it for all the wrong reasons. I was waking up every day a little lighter and a little more clear. I started writing more, reading more, and playing more. Finally, breathing creative magic back into my life every hour I stayed disconnected.
I remembered all the fun there was to be had in writing, designing, and creating. I had forgotten they existed outside of how I used them on my pages. Writing for fun has made the act of writing more fun. No matter the subject, forming those chains of sentences, was again interesting and intriguing again. Plus, my writing was better. I released the need to please and wrote for myself.
Every day I would open my computer, open a blank document and just go for it. No time limit, no word count, no topic-- just thoughts dumped onto the page. The first time I literally wrote out my internal dialog that was telling me I was wasting my time because I really didn’t have anything to say. Each day I removed these beliefs I had been unknowingly carrying around. That I had to write formally or not at all or that if it wasn’t a topic centered around my career, no one would read it. No one would find my random thoughts or feelings interesting.
Afterall, no one’s more interested in you than you, right? Then it hit me, I was writing for myself, not some invisible audience. With an audience of one, the dam broke, a stream of thoughts came pouring out. I said goodbye to social media and hello to my voice. Letting my truths spill onto the page and feeling more aligned than ever before as I did.
After a couple weeks had grown a little addicted to all my spare time. I read a few books, I was writing every single day, I got to play with my dogs more, and I actually hit like every farmers market in a 20 mile radius. Living life was so much more fun without cataloging it into curated feeds. I started exploring projects, websites, and forums outside the mainstream. I found so many other ways to connect and actually enjoyed life outside my comfort zone.
More opportunities presented themselves than ever before and I actually rebuilt some of my lost confidence. I got inspired by artists, authors, and creatives instead of comparing myself to them. I started to carve out my space in a world I had forgotten I longed for. I rekindled the fire that set my motivation ablaze. Feeling more connected than ever before; to myself, friends, family, and just others in general.
As I write this, I’m coming up on my last few days of freedom. I feel a sense of sadness for rejoining the world online but also excitement. With clarity and purpose back in charge, I feel so prepared and focused on my new goals. I plan to limit my time on these apps that once took over my life and keep this sense of control. My plan also includes some decluttering! Removing negative accounts that do nothing but bring me down.
Allowing myself to enjoy the process and let go of the pressure. Afterall, don’t we get better content when we’re out there vibin’ and thrivin’ anyway? I sure think so, plus, it’s just way more fun this way. Taking the work out of it and formality-- giving way to raw and real. I’m coming back as myself, all of me, the good and the bad. I’m so excited to ‘see’ you and share all that I have planned.
Have you ever felt stuck, sad, and overwhelmed when it comes to social media? Maybe it’s time for you to take a step back too. I had only intended on leaving for a few days to clear my mind and avoid the craziness. But, looking back, I couldn’t be happier that I didn’t rush myself and went with what felt right. I urge you to do the same, trust your intuition, if it feels like the right time it probably is.
Remember that your mental health is more important than those curated cubes and blue thumbs up. Taking care of yourself should always come first and sometimes that means taking breaks from the things that drain us. I think we can agree that social media is definitely one of those things. So, next time you’re running on empty, take a moment to recharge your internal batteries. Take the moment to remember what you love doing when you’re not plugged in.
What’s a hobby you LOVE doing? Something that you do for pure bliss and only for you. Comment in the section below, I can’t wait to hear about the passions that light you up!