What 6 Weeks off Social Media Looked Like
Hello, friends! I just spent 6 weeks off social media and I have never been happier... here's why! (Just a little disclaimer, this blog is a little on the longer side, but I promise it's totally worth reading!)
There came a breaking point earlier this summer, it was a pretty big one and I'm honestly pretty thankful for it. I used social media a lot; it was a normal part of my day and for a while it was pretty fun. I was never an expert at it and I never really had a ton of followers or anything, just a few hundred.
I noticed the slow progression of Instagram in particular. When I got it a few years ago the app had already been around for a good while but it seemed people were still getting used to it. I remember it being more fun back then. People weren't so concerned about how perfect their picture was, they were just posting stuff they liked with ridiculous filters. Nobody cared about image, it was just for fun. Slowly it seemed the app transformed into an "amateur photography contest" and everyone was competing for the most likes, the best lighting, and every picture posted had to be perfect. Photos stopped being about things that brightened people's days, things they found funny, or even photos of themselves. It was no longer just for fun, there was so much pressure now.
Facebook was a different story. Every time I opened Facebook my mind would feel so cluttered. People don't realize how much content they are absorbing with every swipe. The main reason for ditching this one was I was seeing content I did not want to see. On the app, Facebook plays videos on your timeline even if you don't click on them. A girl I know commented on a video that was incredibly inappropriate and had content I really did not want to see, but because we were "friends" on Facebook, I saw it on my news feed. The video began to play and I saw some stuff I couldn't unsee. That was the breaking point for me. I realized just how little control I had on what I was seeing and I couldn't stand for it anymore.
That day I decided I needed a break from social media. I gave myself 6 weeks because I figured the first two might be a bit of an adjustment and that way I would have a full month feeling comfortable without it. I knew I would feel different without social media in my life but I had no clue I would experience all that I did! It took about a week and a half to adjust to life without it all but after that, things were great. Social media is such a part of our lives and for many of us it's our crutch. Once I got passed the natural reach for social media and I realized how much more time in the day I had, and it was incredible! Here's what happened!
1. I had nothing to compare myself to and I am truly the most comfortable being myself that I have ever been!
Someone once told me, "social media breeds comparison". You all know exactly what I'm talking about. You have hundreds, if not thousands of people to compare yourself to right on your screen, and it never stops. I absolutely love spending time with people, but I also really love being alone, snuggled in a giant blanket and watching a movie or even staring at the ceiling listening to good music. I love that stuff. I value alone time; that's the time for self reflection, your deepest thinking, and the most beautiful and intimate time to spend with the LORD. Too many times I would be so comfortable in my giant blanket and what is the natural thing to do when we're alone? Go check what everyone else is up to on social media. I would see some people hanging out or at one of my favorite coffee shops and the very time I value I would begin to feel embarrassed about. Also, don't get me started on body image! My goodness! You all know what it's like to look at images of other people and instantly feel shameful about yourself. Anyway, I can honestly say I am the most self confident I have ever been in my life! It is WONDERFUL! I'm serious! I haven't compared my body to someone else's in 6 weeks... I have learned to LOVE mine.
2. I actually talked to people in public!
This was a fun one! It's not a new thing to say that when people are in public they use their phones as a shield to hide behind. Real social interactions are becoming more rare because people use their phones to avoid conversations with strangers. The lack of this shield was something I intentionally embraced. As crazy as it sounds, I rediscovered how valuable it is to meet other people. Instead of being absorbed in my phone, I was forced to make eye contact with people. We would smile at each other, even chat for a bit! I met so many great people that I'm never going to see again but because we were both present in that moment, we got to connect. I was at a bookstore the other week and I had the most amazing conversation with a man just a few years younger than my dad. I was looking at C.S. Lewis books and he came over and began to look in that section of the store too. I couldn't really see him so I didn't know what he was looking at so I just kept looking for the books I needed. After a few minutes he came up to me with a few different translations of Bibles and started asking me questions about them! By the things he said I got the feeling he was a new Christian and this was going to be his first Bible! He was so excited about it and we had the most amazing conversation! I will never forget it.
3. I read 6 books in 6 weeks!
I have always liked reading but I never loved it. Not having social media made me realize just how much time I have in the day and it made me very conscious as to how I was spending it. You know how it goes, you go to check one thing online (social media or not) and by the time you're done you realize you've spent way more time than expected after following the inevitable trail of interesting links. I had a list of books I wanted to read this summer and because I was being more intentional with my time, I read an average of a book a week! I have honestly never read that fast before, but I found a passion for reading that I didn't know I had!
4. I have control over what I see and what I think about!
This one is pretty simple, and it's the main reason I stopped looking at my social accounts. The moment it hit me that I really didn't have control of what was passing my eyes, I knew there needed to be a change. The Bible is very clear about the importance of our eyes. Jesus says, “The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eyes are unhealthy, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!" (Mt 6.22-23 NIV) I don't think that is something to take lightly. The Bible also says, "Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." (Heb 12.1-2 NIV). I love that, "fixing our eyes on Jesus"! What we allow ourselves to see directly effects us spiritually, I think the Bible is very clear about that. Lastly, Paul wrote, "Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things" (Phil 4.8 NIV). This is something I am very intentional about. What we see effects what we think about. Our thoughts are very powerful and Paul is not making light of the importance of keeping our thoughts pure.
5. I became completely present wherever I was!
This one ties into number 2! Remember how I said my mind felt cluttered because of all the content it was absorbing? I was definitely not thinking about social media all the time before I went off it, I'm saying that my mind was taking in so much extra and unimportant content that it felt too cluttered to really be present. Maybe this makes no sense to you all, but I hope it does! My mind had so much more room! My thoughts were sharper, making decisions became easier, ect. My mind was clear of all the extras and I was able to focus on the important things. I was able to be present wherever I was and really connect with the people and things I was encountering.
This experience was really fun! I'm definitely not "anti social media" now. I understand the importance of social media when it's used the right way, and I am all about that. It is a great tool for businesses and it can be a good tool to connect with friends if used properly. I learned a lot of really cool things with this little experiment and I don't want to lose any of that by going back to my accounts. I know there is a balance and I'm looking forward to finding it!
Thanks for reading this post!! I know it was pretty long, but I felt like I needed to let you all know about it. This isn't a super spiritual topic but I really believe God is involved in the practical areas of life too. God is a God of order and balance, I know He wants us to find the balances in life that help us glorify Him the most! Thanks again for reading this! Blessing, my friends!! :)
