In today's society, social media seems to be the platform for everything. Everywhere you turn, you see someone's Snapchat code, Instagram, Facebook or Twitter username. Most conversation occurs over Snapchat or through direct messages on apps rather than texting or having a real, face to face conversation.
If you want to find a picture someone took with you, nine times out of ten, you can find it on social media. It seems impossible to escape, no matter how hard you try. After a difficult few weeks of stress and struggling with my mental health, I did the unthinkable. I deleted all of my social media for two full weeks just to see what it was like to have a break from my digital world.
At first, it was extremely difficult. Unlike my days when I had Snapchat and Instagram to turn to in times of boredom, I had nothing. I found myself wanting to scroll through my feed, and occasionally absent-mindedly clicking on the spot where that app once was. Everything got easier though, I found things to replace the scrolling: I started bullet journaling, painting, and even going on walks or runs just to pass the time.
Taking a break was refreshing, despite how disconnected I felt for those two weeks, not worrying about how many likes I could get on a photo was surprisingly freeing and gave me so much time to explore hobbies I had never taken the time to experience before.
It seems odd to think that we've all become so dependent on these apps. We rely on social media to show us our worth, measuring how liked or accepted we are in likes, comments, and retweets. I hadn't even taken the time to recognize my reliance on social media to feel connected and loved until I took time away from it all.
The first few days were hard, I felt more alone than I had in a long, long time because I wasn't used to the lack of notifications popping up at the top of my screen. This loneliness was short-lived, I found that those who really cared to be in contact with me reached out in different ways, like call and text. I recognized my own worth through my eyes, measuring it in the amount of love I have to give and my personal enjoyment of life.
While it might not be something everyone can/wants to do, I can say with an honest heart that taking a social media hiatus was one of the most rewarding things I have done in my lifetime. It may seem simple and inconsequential, but I have been so much happier and enjoying life so much more since the beginning of my hiatus two and a half weeks ago.
I firmly believe that it is something everyone should try at some point. Unplug for a little, whether it be a day, a few weeks or even longer, take some time to sit back and enjoy the world around you, not just the one you've created and live through your phone screen.
