Social Media Detoxing

For me, it wasn't until last autumn while on a retreat that I realized just how dependent I was on always being on social media. Feeling alone for 2 seconds? Let's check Instagram! Waiting on a friend who's getting a drink? Let me refresh my snapchat. Simply feel bored? Maybe something really interesting happened within the past 5 seconds on Instagram.

While on the retreat last fall, we got asked to put our phones up for the weekend. I though, "piece of cake". Within the first 10 minutes I was okay. The next 15 minutes I started itching to know what was going on. In the next hour, I was getting slightly angry that I didn't have my phone. I needed to know what was going on. But why? What made it so painful to not be connected? I felt lost. I felt like I was constantly missing something because I wasn't on social media. What was I missing out on? Nothing. Absolutely nothing.  I had grown so accustomed to knowing every update every second it happened that the second I couldn't 'refresh' I felt lost and awfully bitter.

Admit it. At one point or another you've found yourself overwhelmed by Instagram, Twitter or Snapchat. Social media can get exhausting as we're constantly keeping up with people's lives that often times aren't even realist. Our brains have become accustomed to being fed new information all the time. Sometimes, we need a rest. Often times it takes stepping back to see that we've become so attached. Towards the end of the retreat I realized a few things.

First, you're not missing out on anything. Yes yes FOMO, fear of missing out, sounds like something out of a 90's teen movie but, it's an actual thing. And it's something I didn't realize I had. The good news is, not being up to date on your snapchat isn't the end of the world. It's okay that you didn't get to see yet another snapchat of someone's dog sitting in their lap. While we feel we're missing out on life, we're really just missing out on snippets of some else's life that are for the most part insignificant. (Yes, even Kylie Jenner's selfie #92320 is insignificant).

Second, it's okay to feel awkward! I am so guilty of having my phone as a safety zone. It comes in handy when feeling slightly awkward or out of place but sometimes it's good to experience awkwardness. It allows us to branch out and step out of our comfort zones that often times are bounded by a little screen in our hands. Think of how many times at a dinner table you've looked around and suddenly everyone is looking down at their phones. Although people seem scary, they're really not all that bad! Next time you're with someone you may not know, try saying hello! It's a wonderful thing to interact with strangers even though in the 21st century it's a foreign concept.

Lastly, social media isn't the bad guy. I've read countless articles and watched several videos on how social media should be taken out of our lives completely and while for some people that works well for most of us it just takes balance. I know for me I have to keep myself in check because if I don't I began to lose little bits of my life. There's so many cool things that come with social media like meeting such awesome new people and keeping connected with our friends but there's also so many beautiful moments awaiting to happen when we put away our phones. Trust me with this one. Balance is key, it's just learning where your balance is in your life.

So is socially media detox for you? My answer is yes. Everyone needs a break. Everyone needs a chance to disconnect, not forever, but for a period of time.

Start small.. maybe you don't check your phone after 8:00PM or before 8:00am (this is a huge one for me). Instead take time to yourself at night to reflect on your day and spend time in mediation instead. Likewise in the morning, reflect on the things that you'd like to happen for that day. Or if you're a brave soul delete your social media apps for the day. It's a tough at the beginning but trust me, you won't regret it.

Now I know what you're saying, "is this a senior in high school writing this or my mom?". The truth is, we owe it to ourselves to treat our minds, bodies and souls the best we can. Sometimes it's treating ourselves to dinner or the new shoes we've been eyeing, but treating ourselves to peace is something our minds and hearts deserve and cleansing from the busyness of the world isn't a bad way to start.

xo

Mariana

Ready to take on the challenge? Below I've listed some helpful links:

- NY Mag: This Is Your 2016 Social Media Cleanse Diet

- Buzzfeed: 12 Signs It's Time For A Social Media Cleanse

- How A Media Fast Can Benefit Your Health