Why I Don’t Have Social Media

I have an anonymous Instagram account and a YouTube account that I only use to watch videos, not to post anything. And, of course, LinkedIn — because why not? Besides this, I do not have any social media. You might be wondering why I don’t have social media.

Spoiler: It’s not because I’m pretentious.

I would like to quickly point out that I don’t like when people complain about technology and smartphones and talk about the “good old days” when kids would go outside and play. I think that yes, there may be some drawbacks to living in a hyper-online, always-connected world. But I couldn’t imagine a life without all of this technology and I mean that in the best way possible.

I have a tendency to compare myself. And on social media, people post their best, picture-perfect lives and it can make you feel inadequate when you realize that you don’t have what they present.

I would love to go to Greece and have abs and swim with bioluminescent jellyfish, and it’s all going to happen someday because I’m building and living my dream life more and more everyday. But when I see people living the life that I envision for myself on social media, I can’t help but feel like I’m missing out or like I’m running late in the pursuit of my dreams.

It’s also hard being so introverted and needing my alone time, because I think we live in an extroverted society. It seems like people on social media are always somewhere, with a huge group of people, never taking a moment to be alone, and it kind of makes me feel like there’s something wrong with me for not wanting that.

These are all feelings that I work on everyday to overcome, to bring myself closer to having ultimate peace with myself. Unfortunately, I am human and I can’t help but feel my feelings. Sometimes I wish I could turn my emotions off, or at least get rid of the bad ones. I don’t like feeling inadequate, jealous, or insecure. I try to minimize these emotions as much as I can, but I wish I could stifle them completely.

I think that being off of social media gives me the opportunity to romanticize my own life. When I’m not constantly comparing myself to others, when I don’t feel ashamed or guilty about being the way that I am, I can recognize the beauty of the world that’s around me. I can appreciate every single real thing that the universe and mother nature has to offer me.

I try to live my life like I’m in a Studio Ghibli movie. Romanticizing the little things, like my morning commute to work and a walk around the nature trail near my house. Things that seem simple but really things that I and so many others tend to take for granted. Sometimes I just step away completely from everything and everyone, and ground myself in the moment, reminding myself how blessed and privileged I am to live in a world with so much beauty and to have the opportunity to enjoy it.

The universe is too incredible to not fall in love with.

Thank you so much for reading all the way through this. I hope you’ll come back to read more posts in the future!

Please feel free to reach out to me with any questions, comments, or concerns.