I don’t know who needs to read this, but the affirmation pictured above has been so healing for me. I took a break from all of my social media apps for a little over a week, and the peace I’ve found has been astronomical.
The truth is, I hadn’t really taken inventory of just how much staying plugged into IG had brought up so much anxiety for me. I had always heard about social media addiction, and I also knew that I was not immune to this phenomenon. In fact, my entire generation and subsequent ones are inevitably or soon-to-be full-blown addicts. Social media influences so much of our everyday lives.
Dating apps, networking, entrepreneurship, keeping up with friends and family, everyday news and pop culture, shopping, and so much more. There is so much pressure to keep up, be perfect, suppress, compare, be marketed to, reiterate ideas and beliefs (some of which are actually quite toxic and we should unlearn), the algorithms… Ahhhh, make it stop!
And that’s just what I did.
It happened on a day that I was completely triggered by things that I had been juggling in my personal life. Overwhelmed with frustration, I, Brittnay, #YourManifestingMentor, had a moment of reckoning with social media, and I didn’t think twice about it.
I picked up my laptop and found my way to the settings menu, quickly navigating to locate the “Deactivate My Account” option. And voila! Instant relief.
For months, I couldn’t figure out why whenever I was using Instagram, I felt so unfulfilled and anxious, yet I couldn’t stop scrolling. But in that very moment of deactivation, that all went away.
Simultaneously, I made a decision that I would deal with myself and get to the core of what was making me feel so awful. What insecurities was I ignoring and self-soothing with every heart tap, comment, swipe, and scroll? What wasn’t I aware of that needed tending to?
Now, this post isn’t to demonize social media as a whole, because I have benefited tremendously from being connected on these platforms. More recently, I’ve found my spiritual sister tribe, I’ve previously launched and sold copies of My Vision Book Journal, I’ve shared bits of wisdom and life lessons with my community, connected and collaborated with some amazing souls, and it’s been a great creative outlet for me to share my passion for beauty and fashion with the world. Social media has also brought about massive awareness of social issues happening across the globe.
But at what costs?
While I’m aware that social media has its pros, I’m also aware that there are so many people who aren’t mentally strong or who have a good sense of self-awareness, self-control, and self-discipline to find balance. Therefore, these apps can be emotionally and mentally damaging and creatively stifling.
This is the part where I remember a “philosophical bar”(quote) that has stood the test of time.
What will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul? – Matthew 16:26
For nearly two years, we’ve all gained some valuable lessons about priorities and the importance of connectedness with those we love. We’ve learned of our immortality through experiencing more death of loved ones and acquaintances than we could have ever imagined. And much of what we learned was the result of being plugged into these apps. Social media has become such a huge part of our everyday lives, allowing us to become aware of new information faster than ever before in human existence. It’s become difficult to navigate in this modern world without using it in some capacity.
However, I realized that the use of these platforms is not worth the cost of my own quality of life, self-concept, self-esteem, and the management of my relationships.
No, I don’t have to compare myself to others’ highlights. We are all only posting moments that aren’t the full picture of our realities. We all struggle in similar ways, have insecurities and self-doubt from time to time, and are equally preyed upon by the instant gratification and pursuit of perfection that these apps have evolved into facilitating.
This was my “Aha!” moment of realization. From there, I decided to fill my days and evenings with purposeful productivity. I’ve been learning so much about the benefits of breathwork, mediation, exercise, and taking my journaling routine to the next level. These practices have been a part of my experience for quite some time, but I hadn’t allowed myself to be as consistent with them as I had been with logging into social media to scroll for hours throughout my day.
That had to change in order for me to reconnect with my authentic truths instead of double-tapping and sharing memes that echoed beliefs that no longer serve me and my life goals.
Taking time away from social media allowed me to live out my mantra:
“I’ve learned to go within, so I will never be without.”
This is a quote that I coined in my book and one that I am constantly reminded to demonstrate. Since deactivating my account, I’ve tapped into so many creative ideas, including bringing my talents back to Thrive! I’ve gained so much more clarity on various goals of the future and a healthy perspective of what it means to live from my authentic self. I’ve had deeper breaths of peace and calm, my body has felt more at ease, and my mind has been less clouded with other people’s ideas. It’s felt really good to get back to existing in this way. I recommend it to any who could use a reset.
As for my long-term remedy for my own social dilemma, I will be more intentional with my use of social media, spend less time aimlessly scrolling, and genuinely connect “in real life” with those with who I care for and want to build with. The minute I find myself feeling bad, I won’t hesitate to unplug for a while to reconnect within.
For those who can relate, I support you and honor you in protecting your mental and emotional space at all costs.
Also, go watch “Social Dilemma” on Netflix if you haven’t already. It will totally give you perspective on setting healthy boundaries with social media as you become aware of how to protect your mental health on these apps. It’s a wild wild west out there, so give yourself the support you deserve.
xoxo – Brittnay
To learn more about me and what I do, check out my website www.bcstarkspr.com. I’ll be launching a course all about being an intentional manifestor soon, so you’ll want to join my email list to learn when it launches.