I am coming off of a 23 day social media detox. I felt it was way past due considering I was slowly but almost surely developing carpal tunnel from the infinite scrolling. You’d think that having an exhausting day would be incentive enough to go to sleep at night but I’d find myself up way past my bedtime, eyes on fire, searching hashtags on Instagram to find food spots I should visit or houses I could never afford. I won’t tell you how many hours I spent switching between the same three apps without actually taking in information. And let me not forget to mention snapchat documenting every moment of my life. And I’m not exaggerating. Driving to work. Snap. In the elevator. Snap. Checking email. Snap. Lunch. Snap. Going home. Snap. Selfiiiiiie! Snap. Overwhelmed yet?

If you’re not then you’re probably just like me. You’re probably waiting for a sign to help you get out of the digital hole you’ve dug for yourself. This is it. This is me telling you that you need to embrace that uncertainty and give it a try because here’s what happened when I did.

 

The world did not stop. Believe it or not there is a magical place beyond your touch screen filled with people, French fries, foliage, and noise pollution. Go experience it! I know you think you’re being super inclusive with your friends because you allow them to be a part of your snaps, but have you ever stopped to think about why you feel the need to share your moments with people other than the amazing ones you’re surrounded by?

I also got a lot of stuff done. I made some major life choices, redecorated, and read a ton during this time. I always turned to social media when I was feeling bored. When I took that option away, I freed up that time to be more productive. Not to say that I used every waking moment to its full potential, but I definitely have gotten more done in the last 23 days than I have in a long time.

 

I got more quiet time. I spent a lot of time talking to God during my social media fast. Things became so much clearer. Something about allowing myself to face stillness and quietness helped me get to know myself more, but also made me want to spend more time with God. In fact, it made me want to spend more time with people who add to my life and less time with…others.

In a sense, this fast was a time of purging. It was a time of personal revelation. It was about removing one of the most time consuming and mind numbing distractions I had and getting back into focus. Even though the fast is over, I still have a lot of work to do and won’t be using social media like I had been before. If you’re feeling like you need a change or like you need to refocus, give the fast a try and see what you come out with. It may be something you didn’t even know you needed.

I have a lot more to say about this but y’all know I’m trying to keep it short and sweet. No worries, there will be more to come 😉

 

Xoxo Kaisha