My Social Media Addiction (Part 3) THE RESULTS!

My Social Media Addiction

Part 3 The Results

←Part 1

←Part 2

Social Media detox was rougher than I thought... Honestly, I didn't expect any withdrawal feelings but instead I thought about Facebook all the time! I kept imagining the picture and the heading I would post. I took pictures with the intent of posting them to Facebook and remember that I deleted it. It was on my mind ALL THE TIME...

I was very surprised to find out that I truly was addicted to social media.

At first I felt really lost, and really lonely! Facebook had been full of interactions that had been satisfying enough that I didn't have hardly any in-person friends that I hung out with. I had to start texting people to get updates instead of look at their feed. I had to learn regular social skills to connect. It felt really weird at first.

But oh, the results!!!! :D :D :D :D Not only was I free from the consuming quality of my phone. Not only did the negatives go away as the detox feelings wore off (It took about a month for me). Not only did all that happen, but the positives were more than I ever expected!

Photo Credit: Elizabeth Pampalone

1) I felt MOTIVATED! I had energy to put forth toward beneficial things, energy I didn't even know that had been being taken by social media. I started RUNNING (I hate running) just for health reasons. I learned how to do different hair styles on my daughters. I wrote down all the ways that quitting social media had changed my life and it really did.

2) I was focused! No longer was social media pulling me away from the joys of my real life and the moments I wanted to treasure. I began to strive for my goals again and be more intentional about the way I spent my time.

3) I began to connect, really connect! After the loneliness set it from the lack of online communications, that's when I began connecting for real, in person, one-on-one text conversations, really taking the time to meet with people and enjoy good, wholesome conversations.

4) It benefited other areas of my life. I started to look and engage in life differently. I wanted to live with my new found motivation, focus, and connection and I wanted to live of life of more purpose and connection than ever before. 

The END!

Not really, it was only the beginning.

Even as I began enjoying the many great benefits from deleting my Facebook I found Instagram as a good substitute though it didn't have half the pull for me now that I knew the effects it could have on me.

After awhile I ended up getting off that completely too (a few years later to be honest). Then there was YouTube. I consider YouTube social media because it too is set up to be addictive. It doesn't hold the same pull as interpersonal interactions of Facebook does to me but I have to watch my intake, take breaks, and watch for it to not become a bad habit that sucks my time and focus as well.

In a social media world it's HARD not to just go with the flow. For some people social media has way more pros than cons, but for me it did not. It had so many cons and so few pros and in the end, the reality for me is life is so much sweeter just being lived and shared in person vs on social media.

I still struggle with being consumed by my phone, it's something I have to be on constant guard again but I'm motivated because I want to live free, intentional, and purposeful.

What about you? How does social media effect you? How do you use your phone to accomplish your goals? Is there some app or social media that is a distraction to you or decreases your enjoyment of life? Consider getting rid of it.

Your amazing. I'm rooting you on!
You do you. You are beautiful!

Much love,
-Joy