Here, here, Sarah! It’s hard to write about those vulnerabilities but as you’ve probably figured out, so many of us feel the same way and it’s very healing to hear it from another person 🫶🏽. Thank you!
I resonated with this a lot! Except for bookish apps/communities (where I don’t feel the same pressure), I’ve been away from personal social media apps since the beginning of the year. It’s honestly been so freeing and also when I take pics I just post them in my journal app instead to get that impulse taken care off. So now, I know that I’m not doing the things or taking picture of the things just so someone else can see them, I know they’re for me!
The picture thing is one of the big re-learning's I've had to do. I find myself so often going "oh I should take a picture for Instagram" and it's weird to realize that no, I really don't! Thank you for sharing this with me.
Thank you for sharing and being so honest. I deleted all of my social media (except Instagram) in late March because I realized I was picking up my phone constantly and it became an easy way to feel like I was socializing and connected to people even though I didn’t even know them. It became about likes and trying to be liked. I decide I should not get my validation from strangers. I realized I wasn’t trying to make connections IRL and since I’m fast approaching 59 it seemed important to get out and really meet people. I sometimes think I should go back and try to get a healthy balance but that’s not me, I don’t do “balance” I seem to do “overboard” so for now it’s Instagram.
Thank you for sharing this, Terri. It sounds like you’ve truly thought it through and figured out what works best for you and that’s not an easy thing to do when it seems everyone is on social!
Oof, I feel all of this. Social Media is such a comparison trap. Logically, I know it's really just a highlight reel and not actually *real*, but I still get caught up in it. Though to your point about taking pictures to post, whenever I am finding myself envying an influencer for having a lavish life, I think about how everything they do has to be captured on camera and how little they probably actually live in the moment. You're totally on to something there and it's impressive that you're not only noticing it, but choosing to do something to change the behavior. Thanks for sharing, Sarah, I always appreciate your openness and honesty 🙌
That's a great way to look at it - knowing the work that they're putting into capturing something as well as the fact that they're likely having to search for content all the time. Thank you <3
Thanks for sharing, Sarah! I think I enjoy bookstagram and some social media to feel connected to others who have similar interests. I have added so many travel items and tidbits to my bucket list because of what acquaintances post. If it wasn’t for social media, I would feel even more lonely than I do. But I think it’s important to set boundaries and not have it consume hours in a day.
Everything you just said is also why I enjoy Instagram. And honestly I love hanging out on the RTL feed because we only follow bookish things 🤣 Definitely important for boundaries though!
I think your transparency here is going to help people. I discovered many of these same things before leaving. The wanting-to-be-liked bit hits particularly close to home.
Now I’m off, I’ll be honest that my life has become a lot more lonely. Since most of my social life was happening on the internet due to chronic illness, removing myself from social media (coupled with the world going “back to normal”) has made a bit of a vacuum for me in the social category.
That said, I still don’t want to go back. I’m judging myself less and that’s great. And when I do get to connect with people, I feel much more present.
I’m glad too that you are uncovering some important information during your hiatus. xo
Text me! We can keep in touch the “old fashioned” way so that neither of us feels lonely. But I do think that’s an interesting observation, too. I mean there is a reason it’s called SOCIAL media, I suppose.
Here, here, Sarah! It’s hard to write about those vulnerabilities but as you’ve probably figured out, so many of us feel the same way and it’s very healing to hear it from another person 🫶🏽. Thank you!
Thank YOU, Bethany. I'm always happy to go first, but it's certainly nice to know I'm not alone.
Great post, Sarah! Enjoy your summer! You don’t need social media to tell you that you are a valuable and special person—you just are. 😊
Thank you Sandy, I appreciate you :)
🤍🤍🤍 and thank you for being open about this, and helping me & surely others feel not so alone.
I resonated with this a lot! Except for bookish apps/communities (where I don’t feel the same pressure), I’ve been away from personal social media apps since the beginning of the year. It’s honestly been so freeing and also when I take pics I just post them in my journal app instead to get that impulse taken care off. So now, I know that I’m not doing the things or taking picture of the things just so someone else can see them, I know they’re for me!
The picture thing is one of the big re-learning's I've had to do. I find myself so often going "oh I should take a picture for Instagram" and it's weird to realize that no, I really don't! Thank you for sharing this with me.
Thank you for sharing and being so honest. I deleted all of my social media (except Instagram) in late March because I realized I was picking up my phone constantly and it became an easy way to feel like I was socializing and connected to people even though I didn’t even know them. It became about likes and trying to be liked. I decide I should not get my validation from strangers. I realized I wasn’t trying to make connections IRL and since I’m fast approaching 59 it seemed important to get out and really meet people. I sometimes think I should go back and try to get a healthy balance but that’s not me, I don’t do “balance” I seem to do “overboard” so for now it’s Instagram.
Thank you for sharing this, Terri. It sounds like you’ve truly thought it through and figured out what works best for you and that’s not an easy thing to do when it seems everyone is on social!
Oof, I feel all of this. Social Media is such a comparison trap. Logically, I know it's really just a highlight reel and not actually *real*, but I still get caught up in it. Though to your point about taking pictures to post, whenever I am finding myself envying an influencer for having a lavish life, I think about how everything they do has to be captured on camera and how little they probably actually live in the moment. You're totally on to something there and it's impressive that you're not only noticing it, but choosing to do something to change the behavior. Thanks for sharing, Sarah, I always appreciate your openness and honesty 🙌
That's a great way to look at it - knowing the work that they're putting into capturing something as well as the fact that they're likely having to search for content all the time. Thank you <3
Thanks for sharing, Sarah! I think I enjoy bookstagram and some social media to feel connected to others who have similar interests. I have added so many travel items and tidbits to my bucket list because of what acquaintances post. If it wasn’t for social media, I would feel even more lonely than I do. But I think it’s important to set boundaries and not have it consume hours in a day.
Everything you just said is also why I enjoy Instagram. And honestly I love hanging out on the RTL feed because we only follow bookish things 🤣 Definitely important for boundaries though!
I think your transparency here is going to help people. I discovered many of these same things before leaving. The wanting-to-be-liked bit hits particularly close to home.
Now I’m off, I’ll be honest that my life has become a lot more lonely. Since most of my social life was happening on the internet due to chronic illness, removing myself from social media (coupled with the world going “back to normal”) has made a bit of a vacuum for me in the social category.
That said, I still don’t want to go back. I’m judging myself less and that’s great. And when I do get to connect with people, I feel much more present.
I’m glad too that you are uncovering some important information during your hiatus. xo
Text me! We can keep in touch the “old fashioned” way so that neither of us feels lonely. But I do think that’s an interesting observation, too. I mean there is a reason it’s called SOCIAL media, I suppose.