I have been hyper-aware of the idea of consumption lately. A while back it dawned on me that I put a lot of intention behind how I fuel my body in terms of food. When I pay particular attention to the quality of that food, I reap incredible benefits. What if the same were true for how I fuel my mind? We all know social media can take its toll after a while, and I was feeling that in a major way around this time last year. It triggered too much of the comparison game, imposter syndrome, and a pit in my stomach every time I opened the app. To top it off I had creative burnout and was ready to cut the cord. It’s been 365 days without instagram, and here’s what I know now, and how I think it can help you, too:

The Good.

Less push, more pull. I felt tethered to my phone. If I didn’t reply quickly enough, or my reel wasn’t performing as well as I had hoped, it tanked my day. Just typing that makes me cringe. Looking back, I was in a bad headspace in terms of self-worth, and was looking for it in the wrong places. What I discovered instead, was without having to show my world to the rest of the world, I could really live it. I could escape to the beach with my people and be salty and sand-covered without having to take snaps for stories. Many days, my phone stayed on the charger for an entire day without me even glancing at it. The moments I have been able to wholly and deeply experience because of fewer distractions has been an absolute gift.

Repurpose. I know we can both agree on what a time-suck social media can be. You start scrolling and before you know it, an hour has passed. I made a conscious decision that I would dedicate all of that newfound time for good. I found myself reading more, listening to incredible thought-leaders, learning about all sorts of nerdy topics I never made time for, but always wanted to know more about. I also cultivated my growth mindset and worked on myself – A LOT. I dug deep and gave my best shot at healing some of those issues I mentioned in the beginning. If or when I decided to create again, I wanted it to be from a fresh perspective where I could be a force for good, instead of adding to more comparison, consumption, etc.

Reconnecting. This change was one of my biggest eye-openers. I realized that I had a default in the car when Jon was driving: I would use that time to reply to DM’s or write captions for posts instead of connecting with him. The first day that I had deleted instagram, we were headed to the grocery store and I went to reach for my phone to open the app when it hit me. How long had I been doing this? And God bless him, he never chastised me for it. But it gave me such a pang of guilt that took me a long time to shake 😩. I will never again let the phone supersede the people right in front of me.

The Bad.

Disconnection. With the reconnection I felt with myself and my people, I also lost with some of my friends and family. At first, when I disappeared out of nowhere from all social channels, I got texts and emails asking where the heck I went and if we were okay. I assumed the people I was closest with had my information, and we would stay in touch despite not being “insta friends” anymore. But you know what they say about assumptions. This past year I lost touch with so many people I care about. You no longer see their pictures and snaps of daily life, and you slowly lose things to talk about, and connect on, especially when you’re long-distance to begin with. When they aren’t at the top of your feed, they become more distant from your mind, and you don’t reach out as much on either side. I felt like I missed milestones and moments to congratulate or be there for them, and that was definitely a downside I wasn’t anticipating.

The Takeaway.

I wouldn’t trade this year for anything. As a family, we have never been in a more peaceful, purposeful, or promising place. We have all grown so much, as individuals, and together. I don’t attribute all of it to taking time off the ‘gram, but I sure do think it played a role, even if it was a small one. With that said, I know part of my purpose is to spread kindness and joy, and to help not just my family, but other families live well. I want to share what inspires us, the nutrition nuggets and well-being wisdom I have been lucky enough to learn and live by. This time I’m setting boundaries; and with renewed intention and excitement, am so looking forward to being social, on social, again. I can’t wait to see more of you 💙.