‘I Escaped The Social Media Trap And I’ll Never Look Back’

'I manifested $30,000 months and only work 15 hours a week from a beach in Bali. You’re not living this dream life because you’re manifesting the wrong way'

Seeing Instagram posts like that everyday made me feel… less than. 

  Hundreds of similar posts crossed my screen everyday, slowly causing me to second-guess almost everything about myself. My sneaky ego whispered, 'I told you. You’re not good enough, smart enough, pretty enough.' Within seconds I’m stalking the page of this Insta-famous stranger — a self-proclaimed 'spiritual' manifestation coach. Wow. She’s raking in money with little to no effort while living in tropical bliss because she’s mastered manifesting.  …and on top of that, she always looks photoshop perfect.  Damn, I thought, what am I doing wrong? What do I need to change about myself? I tap the follow button and scroll, searching for answers deep within her Instagram feed. An hour passed as this random woman's ideas, opinions, and thoughts slowly became my own.   This was me, six months ago, lost in the social media sauce.  I followed hundreds upon hundreds of people I’d never met, and consumed hours of mind-numbing content every. single. day. I valued the opinions of virtual strangers over my own, and mindlessly opened Instagram every 20 minutes for a quick dopamine hit. Oh, and I only posted pictures of myself with remarkably realistic filters so no one would see my flaws and imperfections (god forbid anyone see the real me).    You know the worst part?  I didn’t think I was caught up in the noise of social media. I thought I had this addiction under control. I believed it was benefiting my life, not wrecking it. I made excuse after excuse, justifying why I must keep playing this virtual reality game.    I won’t be able to stay in contact with old friends without it, I’d say. It allows me to stay involved with my 'community', I’d say. It keeps me up-to-date with current events, I’d say. I can’t run a thriving business without it, I’d say. I’m only following spiritual accounts so it’s okay, I’d say.  Inside I knew I wanted out.    Then one sunny Monday morning, I heard eight simple words that would change my life forever.  'You’re allowed to remove yourself from social media.' This realization brought tears to my eyes, and lifted a weight from my shoulders I didn’t know existed. I was relieved. I needed 'permission' to ditch the noise of the online world, so I could be present in my real life. And my body's innate reaction made it very clear—  social media was negatively impacting my spiritual, emotional, physical, and mental health.  I couldn’t hear the whispers of my intuition anymore. There was no space left in my day to just be. My confidence was nearly non-existent because I was constantly comparing myself to people online. I was overwhelmed with content— YouTube videos, podcasts, guided meditations, music — always vying for my attention. I pulled the plug that Monday morning and deleted my socials, anxious to break free from the shackles of social media. I’ve never felt more free. Ditching the busy virtual world (and the constant stream of others' thoughts, ideas, and opinions) reawakened me to the magic of life!  Hours previously spent unconsciously scrolling are now dedicated to reading a great book, sitting in Sukhasana listening to nothing but my breath, or walking in nature (without my phone). No more waking up to check my notifications. No more checking to see what everyone else’s doing. No more distractions from what truly matters— my real life.  Listen, social media isn’t evil, or innately 'bad'. I just encourage you to ask yourself if social media has a positive effect on your well-being, taps you into consciousness, and brings you joy. If it’s doing more good than harm, then keep on scrolling my friend! But if my story sounds all too familiar, and you feel lost in the social media sauce, I see you.   If you’re not ready to go 'off-grid', but crave more awareness during screen time, follow these 4 easy tips:

1. Put screen time limits on your phone (and actually abide by them!)
2. Unfollow any account that makes you feel unworthy, or less than. 
3. Scroll consciously. Sit up straight and don’t forget to breathe.
4. Remove social media for a week and see how you feel. 

  So, kindred spirit, ask yourself this question… 'Are you under the influence of your inner being, or are you under the influence of social media? Realize that you’re giving up being under the influence of your inner being when you try to take cues and clues from others.' — Abraham Hicks  Sometimes all you need is a little reminder that you’re allowed to go against the grain, quiet the noise of the outside world, and make choices for your highest good (without announcing it on social media).    If you enjoyed this article why not check out : Live A More Organised Life in 2020 With A Photo Detox