I’ve deleted and re-installed the Instagram app on my phone at least 10 times within the past 3 months.
My feelings toward social media have changed so much from the time I got my first iPhone in high school and excitedly downloaded all the apps that every single person seemed to have.
I am the first to admit that I have totally gotten sucked into the social media world and it has made me feel many times that I need to be somebody who I’m just not. Comparison is the thief of joy, right?
I would log into my platforms and see posts from girls who looked flawless with top notch bodies, couples who had the “perfect” relationship, families who were never apart, moms who had everything all together while balancing a million other things, and everything else you can think of that gets posted. But the thing is- that was MY perception. That’s the way I viewed things even though in real life those people most likely go through struggles and have insecurities just like I do. Like we all do.
It is so easy to get caught up in seeing parts of other people’s lives and not feeling good about our own… wanting what we don’t have, trying to one-up one another.
I realized that it was becoming extremely unhealthy for me and my mental health to be spending hours looking at these apps and scrolling through endless posts. I took a huge break from Instagram and I limited my Facebook use so I could take a step back and get some needed perspective. I have said it so many times before, but I truly do think social media breaks are SO important and necessary from time to time.
Please don’t get me wrong- I think social media can be a great thing and it definitely does have its perks. But most of the time I feel like we see other people’s highlights they’re sharing from their own lives and it turns into a mental competition of who is doing what and who is doing it better.
I used to feel like I had to share every single little detail of my life on my pages because that’s what it felt like the rest of the world was doing. So from now on I’m making it a goal to stop sharing specific things just because I feel obligated to. I honesty want to focus on living in the moment with my loved ones and friends and being as present as possible.
I’m sure some of you who have been following me for awhile have caught wind that I have really limited my posts about my daughter and my private/personal life within these past couple months. There’s certain things that I now choose to keep to myself because I feel that not every single aspect of my life needs to be put out there for everyone to see. This isn’t to be “shady” or “hide” things, its simply to have a couple meaningful things to myself that don’t need to be broadcasted on my social media. I’ve recently learned that you don’t nurture your friendships and relationships by posting about them.
Does this mean I’m completely done posting? Of course not! I just wanted to share my personal thoughts and give some insight on why I’ve taken a break from a frequent posting schedule that I used to adhere to. I know I’ve been vocal about taking breaks for myself in the past but I never went into depth. To be quite frank- I realized I had an unhealthy relationship with Instagram and I’m just trying to find a good balance now.
I’ve challenged myself a lot lately and I’ve read so many other posts from bloggers and influencers who are also struggling with the negatives that come with using these platforms. With that being said, I want to close this blog post up with a couple bullet points that I think are important to consider if you are a frequent social media user.
- Every now and then take breaks from social media and process your emotions. Delete the apps, get some clarity.
- Realize that sometimes the grass is greener because it’s fake. Yup- not everything you see posted is the way you perceive it to be.
- Don’t feel the need to compete, recognize that we all have wins in life and that your time will come when it’s meant to be. Somebody probably looks at your posts and is jealous of certain things you’ve shared, that’s the way it works. Just be happy for others.
- You don’t make your candle shine any brighter by blowing out somebody else’s (at least I think that’s how the saying goes? lol) so try not to take away from other’s by attempting to one up them. Who really cares at the end of the day if someone is doing something you’re not- we all have our moments.
- Recognize when you need to unplug and disconnect, and do NOT feel like you owe others an explanation for it. Just do it- for yourself.
- Post genuinely, don’t post things that aren’t authentic to you just for the likes. People see through it, and its just flat out crappy for your mental health in my opinion. You don’t get validation in life from “likes” believe it or not.
Let’s make 2020 a great year where we work on improving ourselves while cheering on others. Wishing everyone a happy and healthy New Year.
