We've all had those moments when we realize that we are just mindlessly scrolling through a social media platform. My question to you is, why? It's crazy how we let something digital have so much control over how we view ourselves and other people. Of course, social media is a great way to keep in touch with family members and friends, but too much can be overwhelming.

I took a step away from social media for a little bit and it changed the way I approached everything. Here's what I learned:

You suddenly have more time on your hands

Think about how much time you spend on your phone a day. Now think about how much of that time was you scrolling through social media. Whether that amount of time is a huge number or a small number, that is the time that could be spent on doing something for yourself.

You don't look like the perfect girl in the Instagram post, who cares

Scrolling through social media and seeing other people and questioning, "why don't I look like that" or "why aren't I doing that?" You don't need to, and honestly, so much time and energy are wasted on thoughts like that. Breaking free from social media gets those negative thoughts out of your head, because frankly- you're not like that girl in that post, but that is perfectly okay. You are an individual, and a part of you remembers that in your time away from your phone.

There are more important things than posting the perfect picture

Life isn't about getting the perfect picture. As cliche as it sounds, life can be more meaningful when you live in the moment. It's important to stay connected to your surroundings and the people around you that you care about.

Although social media is so prevalent in our society today, it's nice to log off for a while and take a step back from that world even if just for a little bit.