In the past few months, I decided to take a step back and evaluate my presence on social media, specifically Facebook and Instagram because those are the two channels I actually used. I didn't like that I felt the need to check my social media and also go down a rabbit hole of looking at other people's profiles and random videos that didn't add any substance to my day.

Not only was I questioning my social media motives, but I started to question everyone else's, as well. I never had a big presence on Facebook or Instagram, I mainly used it passively to aimlessly scroll, which was definitely the biggest waste of my time. But I didn't like the fact that I felt the need to check these two apps throughout my day, in fear of missing out on something. When in reality, I could just check the news to keep up-to-date with the world around me.

So I want to know, What do you gain from posting about your personal life or latest place traveled? Who are these images for? It is scary to know that a lot of social media users rely on the amount of "likes" received from a bunch of people they don't even physically talk to, in order to feel good about themselves. Happiness should not rely on a button that indicates someone loves your picture. We should be living our lives for ourselves and not because we subconsciously think other people will "like" this.

When was the last time you traveled somewhere new or ate a gourmet meal and did not post a picture of it? Are you actually having fun or do you just want to appear to be having fun? Social media has become an unspoken competition with unread rules... Why must we show everyone how much fun we are having? Why can't we just have fun without documenting it through unmeaningful evidence?

I am tired of having the mindset that if I am not posting a picture of somewhere I went or something I did, that I am not having fun or enjoying my life. Social media has become this dark place that ultimately creates jealousy, hate, and judgement. Aren't you tired of looking at the beauty in the world and thinking about how you can filter it? We should be looking at something beautiful and thinking about how it makes us feel.

I know that my experiences and passions in life are more meaningful than a cropped picture that people aimlessly scrolling past will double tap. We aren't meant to feel happiness because random people "like" our pictures. How many people actually care about you, your well being, and your happiness? I know this sounds cliche, but if you were on the verge of dying, would you be thinking about your next post and how many "likes" it will get? Our lives are more substantial than this mindset.

Those that live their lives for social media will never truly achieve the feeling of self fulfillment they are looking for. And those that see popular social media icons as being these perfect individuals will never experience the feeling of satisfaction.

Stop living, breathing, seeing, and feeling only to brag about that moment in a tiny square. The moment is more valuable than that. Social media is a facade and we have played into the trap of it very well. Where is the meaning in all of this? We are disconnected from one another and know more about filtering our photos than our loved ones. We are incapable of holding meaningful and deep conversations. We cannot go one meal without our phones next to us. We even sleep with our phones beside us or in between the sheets with us. Our phones should not play the same role our significant others do.

I quit social media recently by deleting my Facebook and Instagram apps. I only keep Facebook messenger to stay connected to my family and friends that live far away or abroad. I stopped trying to break out my phone to capture special moments. I stopped sharing my life with the Internet and the black hole that social media exudes. It doesn't mean I am not having unique experiences, going on vacations, traveling, eating good food, or having a fun time with my loved ones.

It means that I am holding these clipped memories closer to my heart and honoring their value. It means I am refusing to partake in this meaningless competition that doesn't help me to grow as a person. It means I am giving places and faces the undivided attention they deserve. It means I am happy, content, and fulfilled in my life so I don't need to limit my life to small squares that are portrayed on a large rectangle. It means I don't need to alter and modify my reality to fit society's image. It means I am having deeper conversations with those around me. It means I am letting my mind wander and lose sense of time. It means I am allowing myself to enjoy quiet moments, undisturbed. It means I am refusing to allow a device to control my life, thoughts, and happiness. It means I am aware of my surroundings and observant of my environments. It means I am in touch with my intuition, mind, body, soul, and spirit. It means I have a connection to this world. It means that I recognize it is wrong to confine the gift of life to social media.

We are all part of the digital age, a time where we have instant access to anything we want, yet we are far from unity. We all share a disconnected sense to the world, while also having the world at our fingertips-this is the greatest paradox of all.