Why I Left Social Media (And Why You Should Too)
You know the drill—you tell yourself you're going to go back to school, learn a new skill, create a budget, spend quality time with family, or dive into a new hobby. But instead, you find yourself endlessly scrolling through social media every time you have a few minutes of free time. Sound familiar? Well, that’s probably why you’re not where you want to be right now. Hear me out.
Last week, I shared some tips on how to become a content creator, but today I want to take a step back and explore something equally important: if you’ve been putting in the work but aren’t seeing the progress you expected, let’s dive into why that might be happening, realistically.
Deleting social media for a period of time has been one of the best decisions I've made for my personal growth. And here’s why I believe you should consider it, too.
Laser Focus. Locked In.—No More Distractions
Once I removed the social media apps from my phone (specifically Instagram and Twitter, “X”, for me), I found myself finally focusing on what really mattered. Without the constant notifications and mindless scrolling, I could dedicate more energy to my goals. I became more intentional with my time and actually started making progress. The best part? I didn’t feel like I was running in circles anymore. Social media has a way of stealing ALL your time without you even realizing it. If you’re not careful, you may think your “decompressing”, but really, you’re just wasting time. And here's the thing—time is the one thing you can never get back. Today, November 15th, 2024, will never come again. This is it. In the same sense, you have to start looking at your time as the most valuable thing you have because it is. Locked in doesn't mean you have time for nothing but the thing you're working towards, it means you have discipline. It would be nice to continue binge watch your favorite shows, however there's no way you're going to be financially free if you watch another episode today. You want to retire your mom? Want to take vacations whenever? That's all dependent on how you spend your time today because it will determine the path of tomorrow.
The amount of mental clarity I get when I am away from social media specifically the apps that draw me in like Instagram, it's almost like I gain 15 more brain cells. Shocker, right? Social media can make life feel a little gray and disconnected. I used to tell myself I was scrolling to get inspired or to inspire others, but now I see it for what it is—a distraction.Think about it like this: pastors take sabbaticals to rest and recharge. We need to do the same when it comes to creating the life we want. There will be seasons of "playing" and seasons of "resting," but rest doesn’t just mean physically lying around. It’s about slowing down your mind, taking a step back, and getting clear on what path you're on. Because it’s in those quiet moments of reflection that you find the clarity to build the life you truly want.
2. The Comparison Game is Over
Let’s be real—how many times have you looked at someone’s post and thought, “Wow, I’m behind in life”? Social media has a sneaky way of making us feel like we’re always playing catch-up. But without it, I stopped measuring my progress against someone else's highlight reel. I realized that my journey is mine to own, and I stopped letting others’ curated lives dictate my sense of self-worth. You have to understand myself included, I only share what I want people to see online. I want to share my failures because I want people to be inspired and know that it's not all working out for me all the time but here's what I'm doing in the mist of it not working out for me, I'm being resilient. I'm adding character to who I will be for the next person or people that experience me in whatever capacity that may look like. I think we live in a blessed age where we can create content online and get paid for it and have that be our full-time job, everything comes with something that we don't want, everything. When your release from the shackles of social media comparison, it now becomes a you vs. you mentality. This is the mentality I have been blessed to have, I've never really compared myself to my peers, but I have a few points in my life felt like I was "behind”, when there was, I was running a race with but myself.
3. Time Actually Feels Like Time Again
Ever notice how you can easily lose hours scrolling through your feed, only to look up and feel like you’ve just wasted a chunk of your day? That stopped happening when I deleted social media. Suddenly, 24 hours felt like 24 hours again. Time became more valuable, and I had the mental space to fill it with things that actually aligned with my goals. Honestly, I wouldn’t be writing this blog right now if I hadn’t deleted social media. I’m not sure when, or even if, I’ll return. And honestly, if I do, who’s to say I won’t just pop in to post and then log off again to stay focused? The point is, there’s always room to adjust how you approach your goals. If that means cutting out things that feel more like addictions than tools—then do it. Make whatever changes you need to stay on track.
So, if you’re tired of feeling stuck or overwhelmed, maybe it’s time to consider hitting the reset button on social media. It won’t be easy at first, but I promise—it’s worth it. You might just find that, without the constant noise, you’re able to hear your own thoughts again, and finally take action on the things that matter most.
It’s you vs. you, that’s it.
-Erycka A.
