There’s a small part of my brain that’s constantly optimizing for Instagram, and I’d like to reclaim that.
Deactivating social media has worked well for me in the past. It has created more consistency in my sleep and movement routines, less self-loathing spirals, and a higher sense of agency.
I do not live to work, nor do I live to post. I act, write, sing, and dance, because it makes me feel alive. Yet I find myself tunnel visioned on the documentation of the action rather than experiencing the action itself. I am pulled to Instagram out of fear of missing out and desire for external validation rather than a genuine desire for connection.
This behavior is inconsistent with my core values of presence and courage, so it’s time to readjust. I harbor no judgment towards people who do document and share their life, I’m just someone who does not do well with moderation.
In this next season, my mission is to cultivate a life of romance and courage. I’m envisioning lots of intuitive cooking, reading poetry, and laughing with loved ones. May my heart open into the space reclaimed from social media.
Some media that inspired me towards this step:
📚“Filterworld” by Kyle Chayka. Algorithmic recommendations are burying human curation in the past, and folks we’ve gotta not let it happen. Our preferences, tastes, desires, are the very things that make us human. Resonated deeply with my value of agency.
📻 I really like the nuance of The Gray Area podcasts. Tech being addicting is no news to anyone, so Sean Illing strives to filter for fresh takes on the conversation. He did that well in his most recent episodes on the attention economy and the screens between us.