Why I’m Stepping Back from Social Media

I’ve been thinking about this for a while.

Over the past year or so, I have consciously scaled back my use of social media. Between posting content regularly and feeling the continuous pressure to engage, it just became too much. I switched up from posting almost every day, to only a few times a week. The pressure instantly released and I knew I made the right decision.

Last spring, as Covid-19 took hold of the world, I became even less interested in social media. And over the past two months, I’ve barely logged on. So I guess you could say that leaving social media is not a shocking departure, but more of a natural next step.

Kinda crazy you might think, especially having a blog that ideally I would like to continue to grow in one way or another. Although social media has been an additional way to promote my content, it’s actually never been a huge driver to my blog. Over the past few years, I feel like I’ve put way more creative time into it, than I’ve gotten value out of it.

To be totally honest, it’s just not serving me. And if I am being even more honest, I feel like I am serving it. And I don’t like that.

For me, taking a step back from social media is for a number of reasons. I want to take back my time and be more present. I want to set a good example for my daughters. And I want to create more than I consume.

Taking back my time

I’m ready to take back my time. I’ve actually already been doing so by reducing the time I spend on social media, including the frequency of my posts. I’ve let go of chasing followers and engagement because you know what? Life is just too damn short for all that. And I’m just not enjoying it.

What’s also interesting is that during this strange time of Covid-19, I’ve become even more sensitive to how my time is spent. The forced slow-down of life has caused me to reflect more on how I spend my time. And what a valuable thing we have, time.

It’s like the quietness of physical quarantining is clashing with the loudness of social media.

I’ve been focusing more of my time on self care and my family. It’s amazing how much time you get back when you let go of distractions like social media.

Have you seen the Netflix film The Social Dilemma? If you haven’t, you should. It’s a documentary-drama that focuses on the dangerous impact that unregulated social media has on humans and society as a whole. I had already decided to leave social media before seeing it, but it did help reinforce my decision.

Being more present

I don’t want my face buried in my phone when I should be experiencing life through my own two eyes. While visiting a Holiday display last December in the DC area, I remember the sheer amount of people with their faces behind their phones, capturing “perfect” moments to share. It was pretty off-putting. I was like, shit, is that me too?!

I want to be more present for my real-life relationships and I don’t want my attention focused on the unimportant. By stepping back from social media, I am also disconnecting myself from my phone more often, in a healthy way.

I will still be using my phone as the tool it is intended to be, but it will be on my terms, at my service.

I’ve actually already been making the transition to using my phone less over the past year. And it is directly related to social media use. I use my phone to capture a photo here and there, but have let go of the need to get the perfect shot to share. If I really want to craft my photography, I’ll be taking my Nikon on my adventures.

I also have to mention a great book that I’m in the middle of reading called Digital Minimalism by Cal Newport. In it, he talks about how to become a digital minimalist and helps you realize how much the digital world might be impacting your life in a negative way. Cal’s book offers the support that I need right now and really aligns perfectly with how I’ve been feeling about stepping back from social media.

Leading by example

For my daughters. I have a 12 and 14-year-old and they are watching my every move. I want them to know that social media is a tool for them to use and not the other way around. That the perfectly curated feed isn’t real life. I want them to not feel the urge to reach for their phones every 5 minutes to mindlessly scroll through someone else’s life.

I strive to set a good example of being more present in real life and reinforce what’s truly important. More time outside, experiencing the world around us, creating memories and strengthening relationships.

I’ve actually already noticed a better connection to my daughters. This could also be due to the fact that they have been forced to spend more time with me due to Covid, but I’d like to think that my new self-awareness of being more present and less distracted has helped as well. 🙂

Creating more, consuming less

I want to create more than I consume. How can you really focus on creating great work when you are too busy consuming? It’s easy to get sucked into what other’s are doing and at the end of the day find that you haven’t invested enough time in your own work.

Sure I want to be inspired by others, to continually learn and improve but I need to focus more on my craft. I want to create work that is valuable to me and hopefully to others as well.

I will continue to create content on Aloha Lovely, share my photography and even feel a bit of an itch to start designing some new products. By stepping back from social media, I’m excited to be able to focus more on what I love.

Where from here?

I won’t be deleting any social media profiles, they’ll still be there if I decide to return. If I do decide to re-engage, it will be with a revamped mindset and careful consideration as to how I use the tool.

It’s time to refocus my energy on figuring out the future of Aloha Lovely and how to build a community of like-minded women. I want Aloha Lovely to be an authentic space for women to come. To focus on quality over quantity and follow my heart. I want to create content of value, that helps and inspires.

I’m feeling excited and optimistic about stepping back from social media. I look forward to continuing to create and hope you’ll stop by now and then.

Aloha!