Life After I Deleted Social Media
TikTok, Instagram and YouTube
I for the final time deleted the majority of my social media accounts (I had deleted them all before which I wrote my first ever book on called I See The Night Within The Day).It was always a decision I knew I would make and something I also needed to do.
I’ve said before in my post, The Loneliness I Feel After I Finish A Movie, that I’m the kind of person who goes all in to whatever it may be. As soon as I’ve made a decision for something, that’s it. This is a beautiful thing when it comes to things that are good and helpful, but when they’re damaging, distracting or cause one to lose their way, then it’s not so great. This of course was the case for me and social media. I was attached even though I was often bored on there or overloaded with information of all kinds. I couldn’t focus on one thing and it was never enough. No matter how many times I opened an app, it never satisfied. It never cured my boredom. It never allowed me the time to do other things. It also left my real life looking insignificant and plain in comparison to what I saw or aspired to be that hour (because inevitability I would see another aesthetic in a different hashtag that would call for my attention the next hour).
Before I continue, I understand that social media is a tool, but there’s too much research out there proving that no matter how intentional you are when you show up to these things, they have been programmed and redesigned to keep you stuck there so they can continue sucking your data and frame your identity.
Nothing is ever truly free in these sorts of things i.e. our precious time that can NEVER be returned. That price was ultimately too high for me to continue paying.
I deleted everything but I did so without having a solid plan of how to fill the free time it would release back to me. As I mentioned in another article, I got into watching YouTube, specifically K and C dramas as well as K and J pop videos. I had a list of all my favourite actors and bands and decided that I would use all my free time to binge watch any new content that got released with them in, including videos of others thoughts of them and their work. What a way to fill my time! The content is never ending!
Well it got to the point where I was just feeling so empty and luckily I was finally at a place where I was ready to stop doing what was easy (though depressing) and embrace the silence and empty space.
Once I removed the noise, I could finally pay attention to the real things that mattered and really needed to get sorted.
If I’m constantly avoiding my problems, how will I be able to find the solutions?
Well, I’m still at the beginning of my journey but I’ve since deleted a bunch of files from my phone and laptop and have been journaling consistently throughout my day. I got ready for bed earlier than normal, tidied an area in my room which I had been avoiding for about a week and sat in the garden for a few hours reading, singing and dancing barefoot in the grass. I literally feel a massive burst of creative energy and I finally have the time and will power to do something with it. I’ve also started to reevaluate my belongings and identify (and rid) of the things that were there just to impress people.
I’m totally ready to move into my minimalist era (but make it colourful not black, white and grey). That’s always something I’ve been inspired by so I will be sure to share more of my journey on it in the future.
What’s your favourite pastime?
In other news, I did also make a YouTube video on my new channel of what I filmed right after deleting social media the second time haha. It’s a little vlog featuring my sister just living life. I really enjoyed this type of vlogging and think I will do more of it in the future every now and then.
✨ Nadine