I have always been an early adopter of social media sites. Myspace, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat...I'm always the first of my friends to try out the newest/greatest thing. I love the little buzz I get when I see a lot of engagement with a post. I can't get over the fact that people actually want to share my words or photos.
Twitter has always been my real baby when it comes to social media. Hello, to the 147k+ of you that follow me! I feel more connected to people on Twitter than on any other platform. However, that doesn't mean I don't hate it a majority of the time.
At this point of my life, I no longer really have any close friends and I often use social media as a crutch. I want to feel like people care about me in some way, but often it makes me feel even more alone.
Last night I deactivated my Instagram.
This might sound crazy because Instagram is one of the ways I make money, but I just needed a break. I hate faking that my life is picture perfect, but that's what people want to see. That's what gains followers and that's what attracts brands.
I already feel a sense of relief. I know it won't be permanent, but I'm learning that social media breaks are a must at this point of my life. I don't need to login to Snapchat everyday. The world will keep spinning even if I'm not watching what everyone is doing.
A few months ago, I deleted my Facebook and made a new one for only family. Having 13 Facebook friends feels a lot better than several thousand.
I am currently at a point where I crave real human connection and want to put the time I was putting into social media into making REAL relationships with people. Spending more time with my boyfriend and dog is more important than posting the perfect photo.
Have any of you given up social media? Would you?
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