2 Years Without Social Media

Kinda… :)

I spent the last two years without Snapchat, TikTok, and Instagram. I came to the decision to delete all of these personal social media accounts because they had been causing me a lot of STRESS.

A year into this no social media experiment I shared my experience via blog post and youtube video. 

I wanted to share an updated perspective on this topic, however. I don’t believe Instagram is the root of all evil. On one hand, I still firmly believe that it can cause a lot of negative and unhelpful thinking patterns. It is NOT natural to know what every single person you’ve ever met is doing at all times. It is not natural to be bombarded by images of hot influencers in perfect lighting and clothing all day long. 

But with a more mindful approach to social media consumption, I think many of us can benefit from its use. Instagram and other social media platforms can be useful tools to gather information and learn. They can also be excellent platforms for artists to share their content and connect with other artists. 

I have decided that the healthiest approach is a flexible one. Swearing off social media seems virtuous, but it’s not. And it’s not even possible. Over the last couple years, despite heroically deleting my primary social media accounts, I noticed that social media is everywhere. I was quickly reminded that What’s App, Facebook, Youtube, Linkedin etc. are all forms of social media. And in many ways these platforms have helped me connect with others and create fun videos. 

A few months ago I realized I WANT to be more creative. And I LIKE creating video and written content about things that I care about. I decided to re-open Instagram for this purpose. I have a clear boundary for myself that my use of Instagram will be purely for my creative pursuits – not social ones. And for the past few months it has worked. I have not been tempted to doom scroll through Reels or stalk all the people I went to middle school with. 

There is a way to consume social media mindfully and reap the benefits of it. And being a part of the social media world is just being part of the world – you don’t need to shame yourself for being a part of it. 

Check out my Youtube video for a deeper dive into my experience!