We’re always looking for the next best thing in life. Always focusing on what could be instead of what is. While it’s important to plan and think about what you want from life, we too often lose sight of what is happening right in front of us. We’re so worried about what other people might be doing and what our Instagram caption should be, we forget to experience what is right in front of us.
We have stopped living our lives for ourselves and we have started living for the likes, the funny RT-worthy tweets, and the amount of jealousy we can create with our Snapchat stories.
If you’re anything like me, then this constant pull toward social media can be exhausting and cause copious amounts of stress. I was struggling with this social media craze and was tired of how I would feel like shit after a day of obsessing over my social media presence. So I decided to do something about it. I deleted my Instagram and Snapchat. I needed a break in order to save my mental health. I needed to cut myself off cold turkey so that I could start thinking for myself and not think through the eyes of my followers and peers.
Changing your own personal thought process and mindset is difficult but it can be done. I’ve compiled a few steps to make this process a little easier.
Give your mind (and ego) a break
Take some time away from social media. Give yourself some time to remember who you are away from the likes and the comments. The great part about social media is we can be constantly involved with other humans and never have to feel alone. But that is also the problem. Being constantly involved and stimulated is not always a good thing. Sometimes feeling a little alone is not a bad thing.
Try to do one thing a day you don’t showcase on social media
Social media is meant for showing off and telling people what is going on in your life. It is a really awesome thing. But I can honestly say that doing something and not telling anyone about it through social media is kind of invigorating. Which is really sad… but it’s true. I get a weird excitement from knowing that this thing is uniquely mine that no one, but who I am with, knows what I am doing. Allowing yourself to do something without the pressure of social media, allows you to experience the event in its entirety by itself. No need to worry about getting the perfect Instagram, you can focus on what is actually happening instead.
Do a social media cleanse
Delete accounts you don’t use and clean up the ones you do. It is really nice to know exactly what is out there and what channels of social media it is on. Keeping things clean and controlling what goes out into the Interwebs is really important. Not only for future employers, but also for yourself. Gotta leave some things to the imagination right?
Switch to reading books and writing in a journal
I know this sounds crazy from someone who writes a blog- telling you to get off your computer, but it really is important. Giving your eyes a break from the glare of a computer screen is really good for your eyes. Give your mind a break from being stimulated and let yourself think. Read a book and use your imagination, write in a journal and let your creative juices flow. There is a lot of be said for taking a pen to paper. All good writers will tell you that.
Realize that every person is going through the same thought process as you, so DON’T STRESS
I know it is so easy to say, Hakunma Matata from the outside. But honestly. Try to change your thinking, change the basis of how you think and your attitude will follow. Making a conscious effort will improve your attitude. It is incredibly hard if you’re addicted to social media, but you can do it. Allowing yourself to be free of judgment online is invigorating. Stop doing things for other people and start doing things for you.
Have you ever done a social media cleanse? Let’s talk in the comments!
