You read that right.
I started my social media journey on Myspace at age fourteen. It wasn’t something I was on all the time. It was another a way to see what my friends were up to a few days a week. I made sure to blast you with my favorite song after clicking on my profile. (If you aren’t familiar with what I’m talking about, you’re too young!) I’m only kidding.

A few years after creating and forgetting about Myspace, I created Facebook. Initially, it was used to talk to my college friends and to stay in contact with family and friends that I didn’t get to see on a regular basis. Soon enough, it was mostly used for doom scrolling. I’d occasionally deactivate my account for a few weeks or months to detox. But something hit me a few weeks ago. What am I really getting out of social media? Are the people in my friends list trying to communicate with me or are they there to doom scroll as well? I have a family member that I had tried seeing a few times over the years and she always canceled. I gave up and quit talking to her. I had an entire list of friends. They’re friends and family and people that I care about. But the whole idea of social media started to annoy me, so why stay on?

About a year ago, I deleted several Instagram accounts that I’d made over the years. No part of me has wanted to be back on there. Several months ago, I deleted every photo and post that I ever made on Facebook. Then, last month, I deleted my Facebook account. I went through my messages and saved photos that I had sent and received. I made a folder on my computer labeled “old photos”. I confirmed that I wanted to delete and haven’t gone back.

But why?

I’ll tell you.

I Got Tired of Agendas Being Pushed on Me

If you’re like me, you’re very aware of what is being pushed on us all over the internet. I couldn’t log into any of my accounts without seeing something about getting vaccinated or some new gender they’ve come up with. I was watching a video when a random ad popped up of a trans guy who was talking to a gaudy woman about getting tested for HIV. Excuse me?? I’m trying to watch farming videos here! The internet is a GREAT way to desensitize the population. They more something is shown, whether it be a way of life, an idea, taking prescription medicine, or literally anything else, the more “normal” it becomes and people don’t think twice about it. I got tired of seeing it, so I left. It was as easy as that.

I Got Tired of Wasting Time Doom Scrolling

I think it’s safe to say that most people who are on any social media platform are guilty of doom scrolling. Say it’s a Saturday morning. You’ve eaten breakfast, cleaned up, and you have three hours to kill before getting lunch with your BFF. So, what do you do, scroll. And scroll. And scroll. Then, at lunch, you complain that you have no time for anything. Are you so sure about that? If you have time to doom scroll, you have time to stretch, go for a walk, read, learn a new skill, propagate plants in your kitchen window, meditate, or learn a new language. Just to name a few. I realized that I wasn’t getting as much done as I could. I didn’t waste too much time doom scrolling, but when I realized it was hindering my time management, it had to go.

I Got Tired of Being Snooped On

I’m talking about people and ads. Before my husband and I were married, he was on the phone with a family member (who he isn’t friends with online) that mentioned that they thought I was pretty. My husband doesn’t have photos of us online because he rarely uses social media and hasn’t posted in almost six years. That meant that this person went to his profile, found mine, and scrolled through my profile photos. That was when I deleted everything I ever put on there.

The ads are a whole different story. About five years ago, I was sitting on the couch with a stomachache. I sent a text to my aunt who has the same issues and asked if the pill or liquid Pepto was better. I then texted my (then) boyfriend and asked if he could pick me up some Pepto on the way back from town. After these conversations, I opened Instagram and the first thing I saw was an ad for Pepto. Another time, I was using the same Wi-Fi as someone in my house, and I started getting ads from the website that they were looking at. As if I need a new bass guitar. A few months ago, I started seeing ads on engagement rings and when I asked the man I married soon after seeing that ad if he was looking at rings, he grinned and lied (so romantic). When he asked how I knew, I showed him the ad and explained that it’s because we’re linked to the same Wi-Fi. I’m currently seeing Pokémon ads. (Thanks, my wonderful husband). I could go on and on with these examples.

I Got Tired of Not Getting My To-Do List Done

This was a big one for me. I get up every morning and cook breakfast. After breakfast, I make my rounds to feed sixty animals. Once I get back, I clean the kitchen, make the beds, straighten the living area and go to work if it’s a workday. Everyone is happy and no one is neglected. But there were things that I could have been improving on around the property. I could turn my compost more, clean out the chicken enclosure more regularly, build more feeding troughs, pick up the dead limbs and sticks around the yard, tend to my garden and plant more food, and spend more time with my family. The time I spent on social media was fifteen to thirty minutes a few times a day. That adds up to one to two hours a day. That may not be a lot to some people, but it became too much for me. I looked around and realized that my time could be spent more wisely. It also lifted some of the burden from my husband.

I’m Tired of Not Living to My Full Potential

This point can get tied back to the previous point and doom scrolling point. Every time I opened Facebook, I thought to myself, “There are so many other things that you could be doing.” It got to a point that I’d put down my phone and finish a task or two before returning. Since getting rid of social media, I have spent endless hours in my garden and greenhouse planting winter vegetables, pulling up weeds, and taking extra time with all of the animals. The goats are getting more love and so is their guard dog. I have been online learning about gardening and so much more that I can apply to my life. Putting down my phone has given me freedom.

I Got Tired of Not Spending Time with God

One day, I got the thought to pray in my garden. I shrugged it off and went about my day. The next day, I got the same thought. I shrugged it off again. After about four days, I couldn’t take it anymore. I went to my garden, picked up my fuzzy little tabby cat, and prayed. I sat down on the ground and continued to thank God for the day and all of my blessings. I prayed for a garden that was healthy and would provide food for our family.

I felt relief. I felt peace, and I was content and grateful. It was if God was calling me to the garden to spend time with me. I felt renewed.

How My Life Has Changed Since Leaving Social Media

During the first week, I thought of all of the funny things I could post to my story or what I could say to this or that person. I’d reach for my phone and forget that I had deleted apps. It took some getting used to. But before long, my mind was quiet. I began wanting to learn new skills. I started spending more time praying throughout the day. I started talking to my children more. I began writing more. I started making to-do lists on paper and physically checking them off. I now pace myself throughout the day, taking tea and YouTube breaks between tasks. I’ve been learning and my mental health is improving. I’m not seeing all of the negativity. I can be more selective about what I consume. I don’t see random, irrelevant posts. I don’t have certain agendas being forced on me. I don’t see ads everywhere I turn. It’s fantastic!

My mind is clearer. I have a closer relationship with God. I’m not distracted. I don’t have the urge to see what’s going on in the world. My quality of life has definitely improved. Our brains aren’t meant to process so much information. We’re stressed because we’re overloaded. Our focus is on the wrong things. I’ve gotten to the point where, when I spend money or time, I ask myself if it is going to help build my future. If it is a “no”, I don’t do it.

I encourage you to take a social media break. I’m not saying to delete it like I have but get rid of it for a few weeks or months and see how you feel. You may discover that you’re better off without.