Recently I decided to disable my Instagram account. I was getting bored of scrolling and seeing the same things and I wanted to seek inspiration outside of what everybody else was doing. Instagram is a great social media platform, especially for businesses but I really was getting sick of what I was being fed. I’ve wanted to delete my Instagram permanently for a long time, but with what I want to do I have to keep it active.
I READ THE ARTICLE SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO
I told myself that if I was going to activate Instagram again, I needed a plan of action to use the platform for business and eliminate unnecessary use. Since I hit deactivate, I haven’t had the urge to reactivate, I’m a bit nervous to reactivate if I’m honest but I do want to push this blog and get it out there.
If you don’t want to disable your account but you want to spend less time on social media, I recommend turning off your notifications. If you’ve already done this, which I’m sure you have, I’m sure you know that that tip does nothing because you can easily just open the app and get to scrolling. In addition, I’ve found deleting the app and only logging on in an incognito mode window helps because when your browser is incognito, it doesn’t save your data so not only is this a good safety measure, but you’ll feel less inclined to log into Instagram because you could be doing so much more with your life than logging into a browser every 15 minutes (also gets rid of reels feature).
What do you use Instagram for? Is it photography? Are you inspired by makeup looks? Do you follow brands? Is it all the memes? Are you keeping up with family and friends? If you said yes to any of these assumptions I may have a solution. A lot of the time, the brand or page you’re following on Instagram has their own website and platform where you can still enjoy their content while being off of mainstream media. Personally, I enjoy photography so I use websites like Vogue.com or Pinterest (even just google) . I will google ANY thought that comes to my mind and sometimes it’s fun to see what pictures will pop up on google. Vogue has a great feature where you can find photographers and look at their work. I enjoy doing this because it helps me discover other artists. My suggestion is to find websites that you can utilize to inspire you that won’t lead you to endless scrolling and comparing your course of life to others. Personally, doing that is so tiring and draining and I’m finally at a point where I feel like “okay, let’s be the girl that you always knew you’d become”. As for family, get their number, go see them, get WhatsApp. If you are ethnic you may already have this app because your entire family uses it and you’re already aware of its convenience to communicate overseas.
Start that book! You needa make sure that if you’re gonna read, you have to be interested in the book. Don’t struggle to read a book because you think it’ll make you smarter. Sometimes it’s nice to just indulge in a book that brings you to another world. Find a genre or an author that brings you joy and just read away. Reading does not have to be productive. If you’re someone who has read self-help books, you’ll notice that although it’s encouraging, different books overlap and you’re taking in the same message. If you’re seeking an alternative, I suggest reading books about the lives of people who inspire you. That way you’re learning but you’re also being told a story. I have quite a few friends interested in romance novels and I think that’s fun. I like adventure books. The most recent adventure novel I’ve read is called Beyond the trees: A Journey Alone Across Canada’s Arctic by Adam Shoalts. It’s a true story about a man who embarks on a solo journey across the North American wilderness. It’s just him and nature. The story is more exhilarating than what I’m describing but I enjoyed it. My point is, find a genre that keeps you entertained.
Go outside!!! It’s SPRING! I am so grateful for the longer days, the animals are returning, it’s getting warmer, the weather is becoming more consistent. What more could you ask for? Get outside! If you can do work outside, do it! If you have some time for yourself and you have nothing to do, pack a snack and go sit outside. If you want something to do and don’t want to spend money, find a trail and hike! Wear boots, it’s spring. Get a light sweat going my friend. I’m trying to get into sports this Summer because I failed to get into Winter sports. Sometimes you have to let your body play in order to get that workout in! I find that being out and about makes my mind race with ideas and really get the creativity going. I actually got a mini sketch pad recently that I think I’m gonna carry around to capture more of my visual ideas.
Everyone from the ages of 19-22 will understand, as you enter your 20’s you start to recognize solidarity and have appreciation for your younger self. With how fast pace the world has become, it’s hard to stay inspired. Innovation isn’t always credited and oftentimes we are fixated on bodies of work that have no importance. I think once reality hits it almost stuns you. 20 years of your life has gone by only for your mind to reset. When you are stressed or going through it mentally, it makes it difficult to complete the things you want to do during the day. Sometimes you are just in an endless cycle of work/school and sleep. I get it. I just encourage everyone to check themselves and make sure that they are living and not just existing.
In conclusion, I really believe deleting my Instagram really helped me focus on my work and now I have this blog! I couldn’t be happier with the rush of inspiration and drive I’ve unlocked. I can’t wait to continue to utilize social media as a tool to reach success.
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