So the new year started about 2 months ago and I felt like there was some "cleaning up" to do as I adjusted to the recent transition. I wasn't sure what that clean up needed to look like specifically, but I felt that it needed to involve my mental, spiritual, and emotional space. Looking around at my daily routine and things that appeared to consume my time in the least positive way, I felt that maybe taking a break from social media would do the trick. However, easier said than done. I often kept going back on my word almost like I was in denial with myself. I was in denial feeling like the habit wasn't so bad. I was in denial knowing that I can find other things to make better use of my time. But overall, I was in denial because seriously what's life without a little Shaderoom gossip once in awhile? The thing is, these days we are so conditioned to the easily and readily available access of our phones that we enjoy it a little bit TOO much. My mind was starting to become trained and disciplined to look briefly at life by assessing others based off an update, picture, video or article and I wanted no parts to that for the next 30 days.
A very close friend/sister of mine suggested the idea of the fast which I was thankful for. Why? Because it meant I didn't have to go through it by myself. So I deleted Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and Snapchat off my phone. Maybe a regular everyday user could have simply signed out of their accounts and not log back in for another thirty days, but speaking for myself......that shit was not going to work. I kept Pinterest and Tumblr because I use those specifically for divine motivation and self-love practices. Which I felt was also apart of the reason for this whole thing I decided to do. You know?? lol
It was only the first day or two and I noticed how dependent I was on these apps whether it was to kill time or to look up something that someone sent me. I found myself unlocking my phone and scrolling to the app which was no longer there. Quietly feeling silly like "Oh yeah".
I took on this 30 day challenge because I wanted to be able to find happiness in things outside of a fake perception of a world. I wanted to be able to not be aware of what's trending and be totally okay with it. But most importantly, I wanted to put myself up for the challenge by detaching and setting my time elsewhere.
When you make less time for one thing, you make time for something else. So as I lost touch with the "social media world" I made more time for "Niyah's World". I painted, I read books, I prayed SO much more, I thought positively, made time for family, & I blocked out people, feelings and things that weren't conducive to my space . There were moments where I noticed distractions were making great strides to throw me off my track, but I didn't give in. As I was growing closer to myself, I learned to cultivate a sense of contentment and wholeness by becoming my own best partner. Things that weren't always so clear at one point, started to become more transparent than ever.
The days where I would talk to people within my circle it was interesting because whenever something was mentioned pertaining to social media, I literally had noooooo idea what they were talking about. I would always end up saying something like "screenshot it and send it to me". Maybe some people would consider that cheating....but I'M A WORK IN PROGRESS YA'LL. It sometimes felt weird not knowing what exactly was going on.....especially the day I found out that brooms were supposedly standing up on their own......(LIKE WHETTT?) But at the same time, it's like why is a broom a trending topic in the first place when there are actual people out there starving with nowhere to go?
Now that I'm back on social media, I almost feel like I didn't really miss anything that I needed to know. While gone, my mental felt clearer and it felt good because I wasn't worried or concerned about what the next person was doing or what the latest news was. I started to consider a possible fast every couple of months as a form of unplug for self-care. Social media is a scary place and I refuse to make it the center of my life when it doesn't have to be. I remember the times before all these apps came into play......things were more genuine, people actually had to go to work as oppose to selling flat tummy tea, people actually had to talk on the phone and/or in person, and beauty wasn't glamorized because you had a massive ass and slim waist.
My month off of social media was far more insightful than I thought it would be. I’m now far more intent on using my phone for thoughtful, purposeful actions rather than letting it control how I use my time. Although everyone's results/outcomes will vary, I think everyone should consider some form of a social media detox. What you'll find out about yourself will likely depend on your everyday habits, and areas where you would like to see change. Trust me when I say I wouldn't make recommendations that don't require recommending :)
-Niyah x.o.
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