Quitting social media made me realize that our short attention span problem is actually caused by it. The popular social medias are known for chunks of information served in partial bite-sized pieces, no wonder we're so full of anxiety and misinformation
Me too! I used to be able to sit down and read a whole 500 page book in one sitting maybe with a bathroom and food break. Now when I tried to read I couldn’t even get through a few pages without thinking about something else, picking up my phone or getting distracted some other way
@@lunaas1029 books? Sometimes i can't even cocentrate on longer videos 🤣 There was a time when i was like "aw man, 9 minutes? That's too long!", but thankfully since now i'm more into youtube that problem is slowly getting fixed. Hopefully watching documentaries (i've finished the social dilemma! Yay) and reading books will be next for me 👌
Yea true ive deleted instagram for almost a year now but i went on to utube/utube shorts this has made me so anxious now....i will from this day delete utube as well 🙂 hoping to be better in coming days❤️
in that case, how do u cope with trying to find new people in the dating scene. I would imagine its harder since finding someone who doesn't use it would be practically impossible, its literally the first thing they ask for before even asking where you live.
@@akhay3348 I’ve actually become way more successful in dating because I don’t feel so anxious anymore. I’ve dated more people organically than I ever have using social media. It weeds things out in a way that makes it a lot easier to date. Still single but by choice! Meeting someone at a coffee shop or bonding over a hobby works like a charm.
@@akhay3348 Who cares if they use it, what does that have to do with you? You can exchange numbers, and if they don’t want to then move on to someone else. There are many ways of meeting people in the real world, like just walking down the street. You must be very young.
I grew up with books and playgrounds. No phone, no internet, no social media until I was 13/14. The years before feel sooo slow, I really LIVED day to day without spending my time excessively on Instagram and co. Can‘t imagine how many kids are prolly addicted to Tiktok at 6 years nowadays :(
since quitting, ive noticed how long the days last. weeks used to fly by. but now that im more present, it feels as though theres so many things i can do in a day; because there really is. i feel like im living again.
I was scared I would lose contact with my friends when I moved out of state and I sheepishly told them “hey guys I’m really sorry but I’m deleting Instagram, could we maybe make a text message group chat so I still have a way to contact you? :(“ and I guess I genuinely didn’t expect them to ever use that group chat. But now its out main group chat that we use every day and it made me realize that they really are great friends who were willing to do that for me :) now I’ve been social media free since may!!
I have not been on instagram for about 3 weeks now. I agree with you...I really look up to older generations and just their ability to be present. I secretly hope one day social media goes away and "real life" is trending...Your video is inspiring! I am going to keep going :)
my grandma have such a bad adiction to WhatsApp that is insane, she went visit my mom (for 3 weeks) and I turned off the wifi a couple of times and just pretended we had an internet problem. She visit my mom 1 time per year and instead of talking to my mom she was talking to people on WhatsApp. When she is at home, instead of talking to people around her she is talking to my mom on WhatsApp. How crazy is that?!
yesss! also deleted it 1 or two weeks ago, inspired by my cousin (we're doing it for 6 months, then I'll see if I want to incorporate it into my life again, but not as excessive, maybe as a tool to spread my art....)! I could be on there for HOURS, which I now want to invest into studying, figuring out what I want to do, and draw & paint! I wish you the best on your journey, we've got this!
Guuuuuurl I wish you could have seen life before social media. Life was more meaningful. Family gatherings were more personal. We actually conversed. It was such beautiful times.
I tried deleting social media completely and just found it actually made my life more inconvenient. It’s how people at work communicated about switching shifts, how people invite you to events…I added it back and just check what I need to and get off of it. I loved what you said about digital minimalism; in moderation it can be helpful and too much is harmful! You don’t need to choose between 10 cups of coffee and no coffee… you can have one cup of coffee lol it’s not all or nothing. thanks for your video!
Aw yeah, it has pros/cons to live without social media, but... I quit Fb and I don't have insta, snap etc etc, what works for me for communicating w/friends,family and coworkers is WhatsApp. And... A tip for not feeling so anxious after quitting social media is doing other things in "real" life, like exercise, meditation, socialize in real life with the people you live with, whatever you like to do.
Exactly!!!! I'm thinking the same, we just have to control ourselves to use it with purpose and control, because it's useful, I get information from my friends about university stuff etc ..it's impossible to cut this contact off, also everyone is busy so we can't really meet every time we want to say smth to each other
That's what's hard is you don't get info from family and friends because they post it on fb so then you feel isolated and miss literally everything including health stuff and I hate that of you don't have fb then you don't get that info so it's hard.. Also my kids schools post info on there so ya it's like your stuck lol I got off fb for 9 full months untill school started then I had to get back on and at first I did really good but now I'm back to scrolling and scrolling lol 🤦🏻♀️
This is what I've been doing lately for the first time ever. I dont have the apps but on occasion I've been checking them on the websites for like 5 minutes a day MAX. I'm still working on tik tok tho lol
Consuming social media for me just made me feel like a waste man and I could NOT get anything done. Hours a day were wasted scrolling, but not creating. That’s where the problem was :/ FOMO is a huge reason I’m sure a lot of people don’t want to delete it, but you realize you’re worried about missing out on things that don’t really matter. You’re very right about the friends aspect though, I thought I would lose friends, but if anything, my existing friends are closer now that I don’t waste time on “social media friends” anymore! Great video Lucy 😊
Vitality on the internet lasts 5 minutes so trends die quickly anyway, I think this makes the idea of FOMO easier! Glad to hear you’re enjoying your time offline Evan😅!
Did you ever hear of the term •JOMO•? It means JOY of missing out and I really love the idea of it. It doesn’t matter what everyone else is doing with their life, just enjoy yours!!
The internet is designed to ‘over’load and ‘over’stimulate ur brain with info so that u keep wanting more and come back to it, u r not rly missing out on anything important if you leave
I deleted Instagram almost a year ago. I was struggling thoroughly with my self steem. I think it has been the best decision I've made so far. I started reading too and I discovered that is so fulfilling! Great video Lucyyy
So did I, the only one difficult part is the anxiety for the first 2-3 days, then you'll feel like the meme: *“finally, inner peace”* because of the time it used to stole you before.
@@erichschl I recommend also taking cold showers daily. I know it may sound like it has absolutely nothing to do with social media, but it did wonders for me. If you regularly face an uncomfortable activity, it builds your tolerance to discomfort
Never used it a lot. Now want to start making content, which would basically mean that I will be using the app.. not the other way around which to me seems totally fine.
I'm a Christian and I decided to do a month long fast from Instagram, and it was great. I went back on and quickly got obsessed again, but then one day I was on the explore page like always and I just felt... sick. I actually found myself cringing and wanting to just avert my eyes from it. So I finally decided to just delete it all together, and praise God I did because it feels great!
It's actually mind-boggling how most of us went through the same phase. For real! Quitting, then feeling the pull back to open your apps in like first 3 days. Then you felt fine after no social medias for a month, and when you got curious and try to open it, you actually realize you can't stand them! After all those stages then you're finally content with living without social media
Praise the Lord! Social media can definitely make our daily lives less fulfilling and empty. I have been off social media for almost 2 years now and I have to say that the results have been wonderful. No snapchat, tik tok, instagram, facebook, etc. The next beast is surely youtube. Jase Robertson once said (paraphrasing) that if you spend more time on your phone than reading the Bible, something has to change!
@@Xbk677 the word "fast" has multiple meaning. Fasting can mean fasting from food for dietary reasons, like you don't eat from a certain time to a certain time. In religious spaces like Christianity, fasting is for religious reasons. We can fast from food and also things like social media. I think religion was mentioned to distinguish the fact that this was religious fast and not to confuse people with the dieting term fast.
honestly sometimes people make me feel weird for not having social media. deleting social media has been the best thing for me. i feel as tho people look at me as a 'loser' or 'not allowed social media' but deleting social media has been the best. i text my closest friends and i feel at peace knowing i don't have to worry about someone leaving me on 'delivered' or 'opened' or 'they didn'tlike my picture' & all that. i feel at peace & it's the best feeling.
I wasn’t actually allowed to get social media and I used to be angry at my parents because I was one of the only people at school without it, but now I’m glad. I can see from people around me how socially media negatively affects you and the problems it causes, and I’m so glad that I’m away from all of that.
@@liadanryan-gerhardt7189 I know girls who have become really insecure since using social media to the point where they developed eating disorders, became cyber bullied and some even suicidal. I know a lot of people who got cyber bullied actually. I had a friend who used to be really nice but after she started frequently using social media she became really insecure and projected that by being really mean to others about the things she was insecure about (mainly weight). Those are just a few examples, and it doesn’t negatively affect all people but from what I have seen it does change some people
Sometimes parents are right about things we don't want them to be. Some kids grow up and understand where the parents were coming from, others rebel and I'm curious what causes rebelling against vs adopting our parents' advice.
After watching "The Social Dilemma" it opened my eyes to the world of social media and how toxic and destructive it can be if you don't have self-control. I also don't use social media and I can honestly say that it is life changing!!🍈
i got rid of social media starting almost a year ago and now i'm gearing up to get rid of my smartphone too! very exciting and i love being off social media but i can't say i'm super productive lol it's so hard to get my brain to engage in anything practical or productive.
@秋 seasons 🍁🍂 and try new hobbies! i didn't know what to do with myself after i first deleted everything but then i started making pottery, jewelry, rollerskating, and biking. i just started picking up a bunch of hobbies! :)
I got rid of my smartphone for 6 months then switch back to it. Not because I needed it, because it was a very useful tool but came with a lot of distractions. The new 4G feature phones that come with Kai OS is a good concept but poor execution by giving features phone smartphones like abilities. Slow and clucky is my main gripe about it sadly. I sold my Moto G7 for 6 months and got myself a Blu V50 after those 6 months, not a bad phone nor a good one. Honestly it's right for me because it can't do much in the first place. Best part I recently got myself a 10th gen Kindle Paperwhite and a Samsung Galaxy Tab a7 Lite that mainly for reading Comics/Books and it's a lifesaver! I also use it for podcasts and "Scary stories" which I enjoy! Its like a own personal world without all the bullshit that comes with social media.
So my issue is that I have no problem not using instagram, snapchat etc. My real issue is staying off of youtube and off of netflix. I have a lot of time now but usually I feel tired and I end up laying in bed watching youtube and netflix as a sort of 'relaxation'. Although I wish to use that time to go out and do hobbies or be productive. So really my question is, how to get motivated to study? How do I motivate myself to get out and not be lazy?
Motivation is hard. Sometimes you just have to force yourself to get up and do it. Then it becomes easier. Starting something new is the hardest part. Sounds like you may need to give up TV/videos for a little while!
Hey, another way of looking at this is maybe you need a rest. I used to really beat myself up for how much netflix I watched when I thought “should have been studying” or doing something else. Now when I look back I realise I had really unrealistic expectations for how motivated I should be and how much studying I should have been doing. I think all that “procrastination” was actually just me getting the rest I need. (Obviously this is just my personal experience. Sometimes you do need a little encouragement to do things that bring you more joy (like hobbies for example), and there might be better ways of resting (like being in nature rather than on netflix)). I’d just encourage you to be kind to yourself and be curious about what might be driving this “laziness”, rather than immediately seeing it as a problem and beating yourself up about it.
I have the same issue but what I found is that using netflix and youtube as a reward after you get a piece of work done makes u more motivated. For example, try starting to do your work as soon as you get home and once you either finish an assignment / task OR you start to procrastinate then u can take a break and reward yourself for doing so! Then you should be able to get work done! Also, for netflix you should pause between each episode or each youtube video rather than in the middle so that you dont feel like youre missing anything and its easier to stop
One of my friends taught me this trick: if you want to get up and do something (go on a walk, a swim, pick up a book), just think to yourself, "If I get there and I don't want to anymore, I can always just turn around and go home." Most of the time, you'll be happy with moving and won't turn around :)
The problem is, it's not just social media, it's youtube as well. I find myself scrolling and watching viodes all day without getting out of bed. I find myself feeling terrible after doing this, and this has affected my life to a degree that I cannot take anymore. I find that I'm not involved in my things, etc. Thank you for making this video. I have also been contemplating getting rid of the apps that I have been wasting time on. Hopefully, when I finish getting off social media, I will use it wisely again.
It is SO GREAT hearing younger people talk about mental health and social media!! Lucy Allan, your self-awareness and personal growth is really encouraging to see 👍
Hi @Humphrey Yang, did you end up making a 2nd account work related account? I'm at that point now where I do make a living on some aspects like freelancing and some selling in social media but they are all using one account. I'm seriously considering turning off my personal one and just having a work related one long term.
I only ever had RUclips because of fears and anxieties I had over other platforms. I was in middle school when Facebook got big and I already had a friend saying she wouldn’t invite me to things if I didn’t have one. Ha. I’m glad I felt that way as a kid and ever since. RUclips has always been my home. 🖤✨
As someone who also does not use social media, I was coerced into using TikTok for a few weeks and the addiction was horrific! I was on it all day every day! Glad I got rid of it. It’s designed to keep you on as much as possible.
My life without social media seems so very light , calm and peaceful and really that was before. And I am really into it now , I do have Facebook but on private coz' I spread only which is relevant stuff. And, it is better to stop using it. Bring back the days that embraced life. The Prayers, Plants, Nature's, Books, Moon, stars , sunrises and Sunsetting. Breathing, enjoying coffee, good music, happy faces, genuine people, pure love, good soul. The universe will surely smile seeing us and so God will rejoice in all of us. 🙂
lucy! i love how real you keep it, i’m off of social media too except youtube and it really has improved my mental health for the better(: something about deleting social media is that often we feel we are the only ones off the grid but in reality there’s so many likeminded individuals like us out there. can’t wait for your next upload(:
Absolutely! If you look at the comments of these videos there are so many of us out there… so encouraging to hear we aren’t alone🥰!! Thank you so much for the kind words, it really means a lot
Hey! I have a question. I'm also trying to get off social media, except youtube. How much time do you spend on youtube (or even netflix)? Since I catch myself watching youtube or netflix a lot instead of being productive.
@@Lilly-hk6qn if you find yourself spending too much time but don't want to delete your accounts, limiting your screentime or using website blockers works for me! i will block it on my phone and my laptop for some hours of each day when i want to be productive. knowing they are blocked helps my brain think about things other than that + is easier for me to focus on being productive. that's what i do with social media lately and it has definitely helped me!
At the end of the day - I believe this: - Social Media is a great tool if you use it to produce (instead of consume) If you (behind this screen, yes you) improve yourself and create more will/discipline, you can make wonders happen. My life massively shifted to being a producer that is present and happy.
my parents took my social media over a year ago. i was soooo pissed at the time *cue air punching* but i actually think it’s been good for me. the only thing that sucks about it is communicating with friends. almost nobody gets phone numbers anymore, but it differentiates between the people who actually care to get to know you. you have no idea how many guys just ghost you after they don’t get the response they want to “snap?” and it’s really helpful to weed out all of the douchebags who just want to hook up. totally recommend detoxing, voluntary or not.
Grace, in case you don’t know, your parents likely did this because they love and care about you. Much easier as a parent to let you be on phone all day. Much harder, but better for your well being to stop you. Thank them some day!
“Snap?” is so weak. Lmao, this is why dating is becoming harder (from what I’m seeing). It’s the equivalent of “wyd?”An ex bf of mine use to say that all the time. It’s so boring and shows no effort.
I realised that life was so much more fun, slow and beautiful when my dad took me out last month on my birthday to his old college and the area he used to live in when he first met my mom. He took me to such beautiful places and told me so much stories about what he used to do back in the day. I thought to myself and said, do I have any stories like these? What will I remember out of a temporary life that lasts only a few years when all I do is care about what people think of me because of social media. Also it’s funny when I think to myself, what stories will I tell my children? Social media has never benefited me and I’m saying this out of experience. After I left it for a while, things finally started to feel real. I wasn’t only surviving but I was actually living. I’m spending more time with my family too because my time to talk with them is only limited and I can’t stand having more regrets because of social media. Turns out I never needed to know what a celebrity ‘eats for a day’ or ‘how I got an hourglass body’ videos because once I left it my body felt healthy because I was moving it and I was too busy enjoying my life I never even realised how much I’ve changed in a few days. My body, my hair, my skin, my social skills and even my grades. I was so worried I would regret deleting it but turns out I was too busy being exposed to the real world that I couldn’t care to even go back to it. So so so so much advantages and doors opened after I gave up social media and minimised the amount of time I spend on my phone. I recommend it 100%. Don’t look back.
Our parents carry beautiful memories with them, where as i can't even remember what i watched yesterday in Tiktok😂, forget telling stories from memory.
I stopped posting on social media about 5 years ago and I’ve found I love my pictures a lot more because I’m not spending ages making them look perfect, just taking them to capture a moment.
i remember subscribing right after your video about deleting social media, i can't believe it's already been six months! i deleted instagram more than a year ago and it's been the best decision. i hate how "important" social media are today, when i tell people i meet at uni i don't have instagram they are almost shocked. to me, it feels much better this way. great video lucy and love from italy ! x
Gotta admit I also acted (kinda) shocked when my roommate told me he doesn't use social media. Not in a bad way tho, I was just really curious about the why and how and admired it
I also deleted Instagram, Snapchat, Facebook and all other social media about 10 months ago and only a couple times did I wish I had it, but more often than not, I’m glad I don’t. I got a Facebook page again to find housing, and often I wish I didn’t have it. I also use RUclips more than I care to admit. It’s hard and when I choose to be off my phone I notice how many people are on their phone. Happy more people are taking care of mental health and getting odd social media!
I’ve been off Instagram for 3 years and Facebook almost 10 years. Let me tell you I carry way more joy than the people around me. It’s insane. God is good 😊
I dramatically reduced my social media usage about 9 months ago now. One of the best decisions I ever made. I had developed serious social anxiety trying to engage in activism online, and I felt better after just a few weeks. I didn’t give up on activism though - I just get my information from books and make my contributions in person. I think the key thing is to take a realistic look at what you’re getting from social media and ask yourself if you can get that another way. Normally you can, and it often ends up being better than the social media version anyway
As with anything, self control and moderation are part of the key to balance your life. I try to look for videos that will teach me something to further my skills so I'm more productive. It's very tempting to look at "stuff" that's sucks your time and energy and I definitely fall victim to that, but if used the right way it can be beneficial to you and everyone you interact with. Just giving my penny worth of input! No judgement whatsoever. Find balance in everything.
like seriously i hate those who text rude msg to anyone else without knowing anything even on social media everyone wants to be a cool by hating giving rude reply as they think that will make them turn into a bad bitch and those words that keep lingering on minds is all bcoz of social media umm glad to u for posting these things it made me encouraged💜thanks to uuu lucy
through this whole year I’ve taken weekly to monthly breaks & gone back to social media because i thought i was ready. i started a longer break since September because i realized i wasn’t ready at all to be back on it & couldn’t create a healthy relationship with the time i spent on it. I’m planning to maybe come back next year but it has honestly changed my life i feel like im not constantly seeing other people’s life or putting myself down because someone’s internet life is more “productive” than mine
Something I did while I was on my Instagram break was read books on my phone, or even keep physical books in my bag. If I had downtime, like being in a line or something, I always had something to do that was productive. This video is a sign I have to delete it again. Since going back, I started taking selfie’s again. It’s definitely not healthy for me.
I decided to deactivate my instagram account 5 months ago and haven't missed it once ever since. In fact I have felt more peace and less negativity towards myself and have more time to live in the "real world". People my age (I'm 21) ask me how I do it and I tell them it was easy when you realize how little social media actually does for you in the long run. I'm glad to see other people in this generation turn away from the norm of living vicariously through others on their phones and promote healthy social habits! This is the first video of yours I have seen and I will be subscribing! xx
This is kinda nice to hear, as someone who isn’t allowed to have insta I was worried I’d miss out or lose friends. but thank you for the reminder that if I need an app for them to be my friends, they aren’t actually good friends Ty for this vid :)
Just turned 25 a few days ago and I have been off social media for 2 years now. I just got back on IG but as a private account with no pics just to follow celebs and architecture pages and its honestly more freeing to me. I always enjoyed person interactions and now that I get that more from true friends who want to see me means lot. I value other things all over again like I did before I got on social media as a teenager. Its simply freeing knowing that I no longer have to give someone a "handle" to follow me who will never talk to me again. Love the video!
After I came across your youtube channel you helped me to make the final decision to delete all the social media. It's been 4 months and I don't miss anything about that. At this point my mental health matters more. I am more concentrated on my school work (I am not even in my class group chat on insta) . Some of my fake friends still to this day didn't even notice that I am off social media. Other than that I text my real friends every day. I am not ever going back to that toxic place. It's wonderful to catch up with your life lucy and thanks for sharing it! You are such a sweet and beautiful gal!
i havent been on social media since August and it feels great knowing that i'm no longer attached to my phone anymore. being on your phone for too long can be very draining and seeing too much of people's business can be addiciting.
You’re right there Clarissa. Not only can it be addicting but also very depressive thinking you aren’t doing nothing in yo life just watching others live their best of lives. Ima delete my socials and work on myself. Doing more of what makes me happy and a better person. Focus more on my own journey and do better with myself… Thanks so much for the video :)
I am in TEARS! You have inspired me to make a significant change in my life. I am so sick of feeling so negative all the time when generally, I'm a positive person! I'm making this change. Starting with Tiktok & limiting my Facebook usage to only an hour a day. Only to keep up with extended family that uses that platform as a means to communicate with me :) You are an inspiration! & you have gained a sub. Cheers!
Loved the video! As a preteen, I decided to stop using Snapchat and TikTok and my life has been different ever since. I’m a teenager now and my perspective on life has grown and improved so much. I’ve found my passions, my idealized life, and good friends. It was especially hard for me to go through Covid without these two main social media apps, but I got through it, and I feel better, healthier, and happier. I’d definitely recommend for others to try this long-term social media detox too!
I’ve been trying out something new with my social media. Just deleted instagram off my phone (but still keeping my personal account active/not deleting it just in case) and only keeping the big “4” on my phone (Pinterest, Twitter, Tumblr, and RUclips) just so I can kind of keep up with current news if I wanted to. I’m also trying to actively reduce my screen time on my phone so I can better study for my classes as well as trying to enjoy my hobbies again. I’ve been using social media for a little over a decade now (started my first instagram at age 10, now I’m 21) and I’ve lost my teenage years to it. I don’t want to lose my twenties to it
i deleted all of my social media too, i feel much lighter, less anxious and productive i only have youtube bc sometimes it's very usefull i love your videos! thank youuu!!! 💘💘🇧🇷
Just disabling notifications and removing the icons from your first page on your phone or bookmarks is actually a great way of cutting hours without going full on delete mode... I deleted instagram because for me it was just a scrolling time sink. I kept facebook because where I live lot's of cafés and clubs use it to post their events and information surrounding those events, but I've disabled facebook notifications and removed the app from my homescreen which makes me scroll it far less often than I would before.
I deleted my socials last year. I did it a few weeks before a big move. The most notable thing for me was the fact that every time we stopped to have a break (from moving heavy house things, sofas, cabinets etc) id sit down and INSTANTLY start trying to find an app to scroll through. It was eye opening that in the downtime between jobs, i felt the only way to spend my free time was to scroll through things i dont find interesting... I soon after found a lot of joy with sitting in the sun with a glass of cold water listening to the birds. Bliss.
I had a baby at 18 (4 years ago) and I got rid of all my social media’s when I fell pregnant. I made a new Facebook with about 150 friends because of keeping in touch with old school friends and family etc. I am certain I would be a truly different person, in a bad way, had I not made this choice. I am very present and I just focus on my own life and those who I love. I am glad I’m not up-to-date with current trends because like you say, I’d much rather be up-to-date with the real world! I would like to get rid of my iPhone and just buy a good camera for memories next. Well done on your journey!!
4:33 reminded me strongly of Bo Burnhams quote: "If you can live a life without an audience, do it.". I suppose this is quite a challenge. :) Very good video, good quality and content! Subscribed.
I love what you said about noticing that we tend to hop on our phone when we have a break of a few minutes. I was thinking about that last week, my compulsion to pick up the phone or do something, anything, if I had a 5-minute break, say in between tasks while cooking. Or having a podcast on, something to devote my attention to. Last week I actually tried not to do that during those short breaks in the kitchen, and it felt good; like you said, I guess it felt more like the days before social media (I was in college when FB came out). It’s still a habit for me to break, but it’s good to recognize that I do it. I’ve seen videos about not only ditching social media but also switching to a flip phone, and the idea of both is intriguing. Not sure if I could actually do it, but I like the idea of trying to limit myself to only checking once per day. I certainly notice that I spend way too much time on the phone doing really nothing important or meaningful. Anyway, love this video, thank you for sharing!
It’s been about two months since I stepped away from the digital world and almost as soon as I did I realised how disconnected my peers were. It made me sad. People would rather scroll then engage with their friends and live in the moment. I may not understand most of the trends going around but I’m happy I guess haha
omg! i talk about the same thing on my latest video where i spent a month without social media, people just can’t live in the moment anymore! it’s truly very sad
It's so refreshing to see someone my age who has taken the same decision regarding social media! I deleted all my accounts three years ago. I don't really miss it at all!
I'm a gen z too and like you i logged out of social media, this summer and it was so enriching i did so many things i know i wouldn't have bc i used to dedicate hours to my phone. And then i installed it again it's been a bit more than a month now and i am noticing how it's affecting me. So i logged out it again this week end for a much needed break i think. The real thing is that unlike what you shared i am still struggling to let go of it bc of many reasons but the point here is that when i question my self on the impact of social media on my life there are more "cons" than "pros". My point here is just saying that asking this question to myself is making me think of how it can feel like a trap.
I'm also 20 years old and I can testify that this vid is really true. I also had some times of relapsing on social media addiction, but I still do apply it and doing my best to stay committed with my growth
Ive been off of social for a year. What you said about people filling empty minutes with their phones (for example while waiting for the bus) is one the the things that annoys me the most nowadays. It's just 5 minutes, why can't you just look around for five minutes??..
I am not using social media since 2 weeeks the short span thing was really bad thing about it, I was not able to watch lectures for my study, you won't believe even I wasn't able to watch a movie. Now it's much better for me. great video btw:)
About the friend thing, i do wanna add though that it is a bit different with friends that live further away. Social Media can be an important way to communicate, and if that falls away and the friendship suffers under that, it does not have to mean that they weren't real friends - so i think the concern about that is sometimes really justified. Your video however is motivating me to delete all those apps that i really do not need to connect with others and that i tend to waste my time on...which quite honestly includes youtube as well, I'm glad i came across your video but i'd be kidding myself if i didn't admit that i only came here because i'm trying to procrastinate haha.
I would suggest getting their WhatsApp and calling them from time to time. As a traveller and someone currently living abroad, not having social media has not affected any friendships back home :)
@@LucyAlllan That's cool to hear that it works well for you even with long distance friendships! I have friends with whom that works as well, but i also have friends where social media just plays a more important role (even when i have their number). My point is more that friendships can be different, and the means in which you communicate or stay in touch doesn't have to be reflective of the quality :)
I deleted instagram about a month ago. I am having a hard time with Facebook. I know it's eating up all of my time. I delete if off of my phone, but just keep adding it back. I was born in the early 80's so I know the potential my free time can have.
yes! to add onto that, I wanted to say that I try to keep my entertainment stuff (TikTok, games, etc) on my iPad and the more useful stuff on my phone (like the kindle app), that way if I'm in public waiting in line I'll read some of a book or check my email instead of mindlessly scrolling. Whenever I pick up my iPad I'm allowing myself to indulge in social media and games and it helps separate work from play if that makes sense
i deactivated my main account last week and can't even access my other one, and it feels so good. i feel WAY more present -- i don't think we're supposed to know so much information about everyone's lives you know what i mean? and like what they're liking, where they are 24/7, everything they're thinking, etc. etc. it just leads to information overload sometimes which makes us more anxious !!! anyway love the video so much !!!
I’m the same! But honestly now my biggest problem is spending too much time on RUclips. I’m considering giving that up too.. where is the happy medium? Do you limit your time on it daily? It’s so hard to not just grab my phone and check RUclips whenever I get the chance. It’s just as bad as having social media for me.
@@YourCasey I feel you!! I’ve gotten to a point where I have watched all I can watch and have mindless watched dumb videos or horrible news on my feed or the random suggestions videos! So I recently bought a book so that when I have caught up with the channels I’m subscribed to and actually enjoy watching, instead of mindlessly start watching junk I pull out my book !!
My social media journey has completely changed throughout the years. You won’t find me on Facebook, you won’t find me on Instagram, you won’t find me on tiktok, or reddit. I’ve completely deleted all of those accounts. The only ones still active are twitter (I have a healthy relationship w/ the app. I know most don’t but I have a pretty well curated timeline to avoid icky upsetting things) and Snapchat. My brain feels much happier just having those two. I like my bubble I’m living in.
I was working with a dude the other day. Every 2 minutes, he was glued to his phone sending snaps or screen shots or whatever Idk, It really slowed us down. It puts me off seeing how unproductive people are with snapchat so I'm not even bothered that I don't use it. I use facebook and Instagram occasionally to catch up with a small amount of family and friends and it works great for me. I think we could all do with less social media, it can easily become a dopamine addiction and doesn't allow you to fully live in the present moment.
I’m 26 and was incredibly surprised at 22 when I discovered minimalism. 4 years later I’ve completed the 100 thing challenge and lived with only 100 things for a year, and still am an extreme minimalist, with my own rules. 200-300 items. I’m married, and have a baby on the way. This started with a series of personal challenges, just questioning why we do things “because everyone does it”. This is very inspirational to me. ❤ thank you for doing this.
I deleted social media 2 days ago. I found myself searching all these different pages and groups for the most liked memes so I could share them and get likes from people on my friends list. I wasted hours and days doing that. Then I would rarely get any likes. That’s when I realized most of the people on my friends list weren’t my friends. Not because they didn’t like me, but they were mostly people from old jobs, dead friendships, and acquaintances from school from over a decade ago. I didn’t really have any real connections with these people anymore and haven’t seen most of them in many years. It made me feel like a loser that was desperate for attention. I constantly compared myself to other people and I was never as popular as them on the Internet and it made me feel like a lesser person. I think it’s distracting me from my real life as well. My girlfriend makes comments about me being on Facebook to often. At work, I constantly check my phone to see if I have notifications. It’s always on my mind wondering if someone is going to send me a message or like something on my page or tag me but it almost never happens. When I would get a notification, I would be so happy and check it really fast only to see it was a page I like that posted an update or something. It sucked. I actually felt embarrassed about who I am because of Facebook. I would delete things that didn’t get any likes and keep the things that got some like. Then people would call me out on it saying I delete everything I post. My insecurities made me look like an idiot in front of literally everyone I met and added on there. Deleting Facebook for me is my way of refocusing on real life and paying attention to the people in my life that actually want to be there and who deserve the attention I wasted on fake internet friends. I’ve done this before, but this time, I feel differently. I feel like Facebook is a drug addiction that I am finally ready to give up for good. I realized I don’t even like most of the people on there. So that’s that. Social media is over for me. I want to be mentally healthy.
I'm not gen Z but spend so many mindless hours scrolling thru social media. Been trying to be more productive but find myself still in the rut of laying in bed staring at my phone as you mentioned. Your video made me think and wonder why I'm living like this?! There's so much more to life out there! Thanks for sharing your experience and perspective on this ☺
i deleted twitter, snapchat, facebook, and tik tok almost a year ago now and ive never felt better!! i love the term digital minimalism that you brought up because it so much nicer to have 1 or 2 platforms instead of 6 to check!! awesome video!
this was massively helpful. Thanks for the nuanced perspective. I feel like a lot of videos like this promote an unrealistic goal to cut everything all the time which leaves the viewer feeling like they are weak-willed when they inevitably fail. This felt realistic and refreshing.
I'm 39 - I gave up social media and the news! I feel so much healthier and happier without it. I thought I could never do it because I write content for businesses on social media - but I just created a work account for FB and it works well. Good for you for even thinking and being aware of how it made you feel. It's about living your truth and ridding toxicity around you. Keep it up! A life without social media is SWEET. X
Love that you have made this video! :) I deleted my accounts a month ago after having severe anxiety and addition to social media. I had chest pains and racing thoughts and could not focus. after two weeks of coming off of social media the anxiety finally stopped and has not come back. I totally relate to everything you say about it deteriorating your mental health. I am in my 30s and very lucky to probably be the last generation to have an entire childhood in the 90s and early 2000s where social media did not exist and neither did smartphones to create screen and social media addiction.
Wow. So sorry about what you went through. Glad you took the bold step for your mental health. Interesting to note the social media toxicity can affect all age groups engaging with it. I've read somewhere that the human brain is not wired or evolved to welcome a thousand thoughts and people into it at a time which is what social media technically does. Personally, I've found some social media groups can feel like being in classroom again despite having graduated from that class long ago. This isn't healthy. In my 30s too and have had my fair share of the social media toxicity😂. I can laugh now because I've healed. I still use it as I can't help it due to work purposes especially but I use it with a lot of strong boundaries. Privacy tools like blocking, and unfollow buttons are my good 'friends'😀. The idea of moderation and using it mindfully, and minimally is wise.
I quit social media in January (and I'm going to keep it that way forever) and I have changed so much. I finally know who I am and what I want. I haven't been this happy in so long.
I have autism and I am easily influenced by peoples moods around me or the overall environment.I quit social media due to my mental health deteriorating like a a bowl of melting ice cream, with all the negative hateful comments , death threats from internet trolls, and the infighting between which was my friends and family. So I had to stop because it affected my home and work life in a huge way. When I hit delete, it’s like a dark mass finally lifted and now I am much more happy, more empathetic,attentive with my surroundings. And just overall healthier.
I did this and it worked in the beginning, but after a while it did more harm than good to just cut it all off. My takeaway is to «be mindful». Is social media helping or hurting you right now? Listen to how you feel and what you are thinking. Some times (like after an anxiety attack) social media has distracted me and also made me better. Other times, social media coul cause anxiety and make me feel bad. The problem isn’t the tool, but how you use it. And you 100% get a better judgement if you take a break, at least for a week or two. Then you know you can do without it and when you maybe need it too.
I agree and like thiss. I think sometimes extreme measures or "all or nothing" can remove the problem but not solve it. (: mindfulness helps. I take frequent breaks like monthly or weekly and just unfollow negative / non positive people. Limit myself to just IG, yt , deleted snapchat months ago, and removed everyone from my fb timeline so I only see groups I'm in. & I never got sucked into Tiktok because I refuse to get addicted to a mindless app.
@@LashayNaria i have noticed that social medias are merging into eachother. The reason why i didnt like snap is now on instagram, and the same with tik tok, with shorts on youtube. I catch myself watching them and saying «but it isn’t tik tok» meanwhile the videos are indeed from tiktok. At least so far it isn’t thirst traps, more fact based. But yes curating your feed is a good idea, i recently started unfollowing friends that I thought weren’t good for me. Bold move, but it’s okay to outgrow people or their content. I hope your way continues to work for you!
My life has never been more peaceful. Some people can't feel the change the same way but for myself if I "social media blacked out" I would snap back feeling sloppy and slow, unmotivated. However when I quit I never really looked back, one thing though is the sadness I feel watching others, specifically younger kids waste their time.
I deleted social media, I had to. My screen-time was getting out of hand I could spend 8-10 hours on social media a day , especially TIKTOK. Ever since then, I got my attention span back. I'm living my life in the present moment and I'm a lot happier. I've picked up my old hobbies like reading again. I feel like I'm my authentic true self now.
I grew up before social media was big and I grew up with it as well. Half and half. I can honestly tell you that life before social media was so much better. We connected more. Memories are more meaningful. And conversations were more insightful. You cannot compare the life before to todays. And I’m so glad that this younger generation is opening they’re eyes and removing the invisible chains attached to they’re soul.
Props to you! I am 15 almost 16 and I’ve been on social media since I was 10,and I wish i never downloaded TikTok but I’m too deep in to delete it,but i wish I didn’t. Having social media young is hard. I personally couldn’t delete anything bc I’m addicted,but i love how you incorporated this into your real life!
This has me inspired to try and cut down on my social media usage too. I can't afford to delete it altogether because of long distance friendships, but i am on it all way too much and it doesn't do me any favours. Cheers to you for doing this and talking about it!
I really like the term "digital minimalism" and the thought of using media to your advantage. I think with these phrases you expressed the whole thing very well
GenZ like Lucy here are giving me the faith. I have a young girlfriend, also gen Z, and I have to say, that I am surprised by the level of maturity of her and her friends. Not that forced wannabe adult, nope, the real world one. I have faith in young people. The Millenial.
I actually deleted social media this June because of your video! 🥰 my thought process for this was slightly negative (i.e. I'm not pretty/interesting enough to be posting on Insta anyways) but also I think the biggest reason why I finally did it was just one tiny question whenever looking at Insta stories: why do I care? 😂 people who want to keep in contact with me have my number and comparison with celebrities and Insta models is toxic for me 🤷🏼♀
Wow I can’t believe the video made you delete it, that’s incredible! Although your reasoning is really upsetting, I think you’ll find yourself a lot happier offline where you don’t need to prove anything!
I remember from back when I didn't have a phone in middle school when all my classmates did, I felt really awkward and out of place when everyone was on theirs and I was just sitting there. It gave me terrible feelings. To this day I would still not know what to do in a situation like that, and it gives me anxiety just thinking about everyone talking and me not knowing anyone and just sitting there silently That is to say that I think everyone who's able to do this is very brave and I look up to you all.
I really loved this video. I deleted my Instagram nearly 4 years ago and it has been such a game changer. Real life is so much more fulfilling! Well done you! I hope your video inspires more people to evaluate their social media use and how much it is impacting their mental health💜
I haven’t had most of social media for 3 years and just recently deleted tik Tok. I can vouch I feel like more of a real person and I focus so much more on my growth and I do not compare myself to others as often as I would of when I had social media. It’s become just part of my life not to share things on Snapchat Or Instagram and honestly it is much needed even if you don’t want to maybe test it out for a week and even a day if ur able and feel the difference!
I think I'd do perfectly fine with social media apps if there was a way to turn off the trends/popular/recommended page on them. That's where the toxic stuff and rabbit holes come from usually. Except for TikTok, that's just one giant rabbit hole and I'm glad my brain doesn't really want to click on it much because of the sensory overload. The first app I could easily delete off my phone. I say this because several of my hobbies are only connected through online community, so getting rid of Instagram would keep me from progressing in that hobby. But Instagram Reels and the endless scroll on the popular page are my enemy.
Exactly what I’ve been thinking about. I’m literally sick of recommendations stuffs… I’d love to explore other things as well… but duhh!!! App i cn delete 1st thing off my phone. I second it.
I totally agree - I deleted Instagram for about 6 months and it was great except I’ve moved around a ton and I really missed seeing what my family/friends are up to and being able to easily contact them. So I re-downloaded it and pretty ruthlessly unfollowed anything that didn’t pertain to my real life. But then with all the reels and ads I still get sucked into stuff. I really wish I could get rid of those and just use it to keep in contact with people I care about!
Woop! I grew up without social media (1987 baby here) but got addicted in my 20s. I deleted my Facebook a few years ago and then Instagram last year when i got pregnant! It’s not a magic pill but it’s definitely helped my anxiety and the comparison trap… the apps are pure ads and designed to keep us scrolling. I LOVE that now when I see friends I haven’t seen, we actually have news for each other!! Like oh you went on holidays etc 😂 I still go on RUclips as a viewer but I feel like it’s different than other social media platforms! Never had Snapchat but my younger friends drive me crazy taking snaps when we are doing boring stuff but trying to make it look fun 🤦🏼♀️😂
Love this! I deleted all social media for a year and loved it! Then I felt the same about RUclips and got it again. I personally didn’t have any fomo because I was able to focus on my own life ❤️❤️
I deleted snapchat a month ago, and Instagram earlier today and when I saw this video I knew it was a sign to delete tik tok as well, I'm already quite happy with deleting snapchat because I felt like I really weeded out the friends who would only send me streaks and it's nice to know that the people in your life are actually there for you.
Quitting social media made me realize that our short attention span problem is actually caused by it. The popular social medias are known for chunks of information served in partial bite-sized pieces, no wonder we're so full of anxiety and misinformation
Me too! I used to be able to sit down and read a whole 500 page book in one sitting maybe with a bathroom and food break. Now when I tried to read I couldn’t even get through a few pages without thinking about something else, picking up my phone or getting distracted some other way
@@lunaas1029 books? Sometimes i can't even cocentrate on longer videos 🤣
There was a time when i was like "aw man, 9 minutes? That's too long!", but thankfully since now i'm more into youtube that problem is slowly getting fixed. Hopefully watching documentaries (i've finished the social dilemma! Yay) and reading books will be next for me 👌
agreed. and it's not helping that the tik tok algorithm is convincing everyone (including myself) that we all have adhd
@@emilyholmes9058 right it has me thinking if it’s even actually adhd or just our social media addictions fucking up our attention span!
Yes. Try getting an uninformed social media obsessed person to believe it could be harmful to their mental health.
yes!! social media makes you think you care about everything when really you're just overexposed to everything and overwhelmed.
This is it for me right here... when I tell everyone that I can care less to get on there. Deleted for 5 months now!
Yea true ive deleted instagram for almost a year now but i went on to utube/utube shorts this has made me so anxious now....i will from this day delete utube as well 🙂 hoping to be better in coming days❤️
Haven’t had social media in over 3 years now. As a 24 year old woman, one of the best decisions I ever made.
in that case, how do u cope with trying to find new people in the dating scene. I would imagine its harder since finding someone who doesn't use it would be practically impossible, its literally the first thing they ask for before even asking where you live.
@@akhay3348 I’ve actually become way more successful in dating because I don’t feel so anxious anymore. I’ve dated more people organically than I ever have using social media. It weeds things out in a way that makes it a lot easier to date. Still single but by choice! Meeting someone at a coffee shop or bonding over a hobby works like a charm.
Love that for you. Need to get on that
@@akhay3348 Who cares if they use it, what does that have to do with you? You can exchange numbers, and if they don’t want to then move on to someone else. There are many ways of meeting people in the real world, like just walking down the street. You must be very young.
@@pretty_wingz why u so pressed for ? re-evaluate your tone and reply back to me
I grew up with books and playgrounds. No phone, no internet, no social media until I was 13/14. The years before feel sooo slow, I really LIVED day to day without spending my time excessively on Instagram and co.
Can‘t imagine how many kids are prolly addicted to Tiktok at 6 years nowadays :(
RIGHT
i wish i was born in a time without social media
Im 12 and I just deleted TikTok and I've read 2 books in 3 days :) I'm feeling much better and I played outside today
@@chordsofsteel-i4j omg that’s great!! I’m 14 and I did the same with all my social media even Snapchat, life has been so much better
@@supercoolpersonn great:D keep going!!
since quitting, ive noticed how long the days last.
weeks used to fly by. but now that im more present, it feels as though theres so many things i can do in a day; because there really is. i feel like im living again.
I was scared I would lose contact with my friends when I moved out of state and I sheepishly told them “hey guys I’m really sorry but I’m deleting Instagram, could we maybe make a text message group chat so I still have a way to contact you? :(“ and I guess I genuinely didn’t expect them to ever use that group chat. But now its out main group chat that we use every day and it made me realize that they really are great friends who were willing to do that for me :) now I’ve been social media free since may!!
Hii, any updates now? just curious
update?
I had the same experience and it’s now also our main chat where we talk almost every day :)
I have not been on instagram for about 3 weeks now. I agree with you...I really look up to older generations and just their ability to be present. I secretly hope one day social media goes away and "real life" is trending...Your video is inspiring! I am going to keep going :)
I totally agree!
my grandma have such a bad adiction to WhatsApp that is insane, she went visit my mom (for 3 weeks) and I turned off the wifi a couple of times and just pretended we had an internet problem. She visit my mom 1 time per year and instead of talking to my mom she was talking to people on WhatsApp.
When she is at home, instead of talking to people around her she is talking to my mom on WhatsApp. How crazy is that?!
yesss! also deleted it 1 or two weeks ago, inspired by my cousin (we're doing it for 6 months, then I'll see if I want to incorporate it into my life again, but not as excessive, maybe as a tool to spread my art....)! I could be on there for HOURS, which I now want to invest into studying, figuring out what I want to do, and draw & paint! I wish you the best on your journey, we've got this!
Totally wish that tooo !!!!
Guuuuuurl I wish you could have seen life before social media. Life was more meaningful. Family gatherings were more personal. We actually conversed. It was such beautiful times.
My teacher always says that people need to read books , draw, sing , dance because this is how mind can be more productive and learn how to think 💐😇
Agreed, and actually talk to folks who you love and be present 💝
I tried deleting social media completely and just found it actually made my life more inconvenient. It’s how people at work communicated about switching shifts, how people invite you to events…I added it back and just check what I need to and get off of it. I loved what you said about digital minimalism; in moderation it can be helpful and too much is harmful! You don’t need to choose between 10 cups of coffee and no coffee… you can have one cup of coffee lol it’s not all or nothing. thanks for your video!
Aw yeah, it has pros/cons to live without social media, but... I quit Fb and I don't have insta, snap etc etc, what works for me for communicating w/friends,family and coworkers is WhatsApp.
And... A tip for not feeling so anxious after quitting social media is doing other things in "real" life, like exercise, meditation, socialize in real life with the people you live with, whatever you like to do.
Exactly!!!! I'm thinking the same, we just have to control ourselves to use it with purpose and control, because it's useful, I get information from my friends about university stuff etc ..it's impossible to cut this contact off, also everyone is busy so we can't really meet every time we want to say smth to each other
That's what's hard is you don't get info from family and friends because they post it on fb so then you feel isolated and miss literally everything including health stuff and I hate that of you don't have fb then you don't get that info so it's hard.. Also my kids schools post info on there so ya it's like your stuck lol I got off fb for 9 full months untill school started then I had to get back on and at first I did really good but now I'm back to scrolling and scrolling lol 🤦🏻♀️
This is what I've been doing lately for the first time ever. I dont have the apps but on occasion I've been checking them on the websites for like 5 minutes a day MAX. I'm still working on tik tok tho lol
COMPLETELY AGREE. realistically one could not function in this world anymore with absolutely 0 social media. however using less is far more important
What I‘ve really noticed when deleting Social Media is that you value Social interactions way higher and also get better in them
so true!
this is a very good point
I noticed this too! I interact more genuinely now.
Definitely true. It takes much more value
Aka you have to try at being wise
Consuming social media for me just made me feel like a waste man and I could NOT get anything done. Hours a day were wasted scrolling, but not creating. That’s where the problem was :/
FOMO is a huge reason I’m sure a lot of people don’t want to delete it, but you realize you’re worried about missing out on things that don’t really matter.
You’re very right about the friends aspect though, I thought I would lose friends, but if anything, my existing friends are closer now that I don’t waste time on “social media friends” anymore!
Great video Lucy 😊
Vitality on the internet lasts 5 minutes so trends die quickly anyway, I think this makes the idea of FOMO easier! Glad to hear you’re enjoying your time offline Evan😅!
Did you ever hear of the term •JOMO•? It means JOY of missing out and I really love the idea of it. It doesn’t matter what everyone else is doing with their life, just enjoy yours!!
The internet is designed to ‘over’load and ‘over’stimulate ur brain with info so that u keep wanting more and come back to it, u r not rly missing out on anything important if you leave
I’ve felt the same way as a mom of 4 and had to reevaluate where my main purpose is. Definitely not for people I’ll never meet.
@@kenzyaggour864 its the social media feedback loop thats most addictive because it's exploiting a vulnerability in our psychology
I deleted Instagram almost a year ago. I was struggling thoroughly with my self steem. I think it has been the best decision I've made so far.
I started reading too and I discovered that is so fulfilling!
Great video Lucyyy
You can do it!
So did I, the only one difficult part is the anxiety for the first 2-3 days, then you'll feel like the meme: *“finally, inner peace”* because of the time it used to stole you before.
@@erichschl I recommend also taking cold showers daily. I know it may sound like it has absolutely nothing to do with social media, but it did wonders for me. If you regularly face an uncomfortable activity, it builds your tolerance to discomfort
Same. Instagram was the worst one for me when it came to self esteem
Tiktok drags your mental health to the rock bottom, I've been feeling a lot better since deleting it.
fact.
Factsss
True that, I am grateful that I don't even have one. Amen.
Straight fact
Never used it a lot. Now want to start making content, which would basically mean that I will be using the app.. not the other way around which to me seems totally fine.
I'm a Christian and I decided to do a month long fast from Instagram, and it was great. I went back on and quickly got obsessed again, but then one day I was on the explore page like always and I just felt... sick. I actually found myself cringing and wanting to just avert my eyes from it. So I finally decided to just delete it all together, and praise God I did because it feels great!
Im happy that you’re happier without it😊
It's actually mind-boggling how most of us went through the same phase. For real!
Quitting, then feeling the pull back to open your apps in like first 3 days. Then you felt fine after no social medias for a month, and when you got curious and try to open it, you actually realize you can't stand them!
After all those stages then you're finally content with living without social media
Praise the Lord!
Social media can definitely make our daily lives less fulfilling and empty. I have been off social media for almost 2 years now and I have to say that the results have been wonderful. No snapchat, tik tok, instagram, facebook, etc. The next beast is surely youtube.
Jase Robertson once said (paraphrasing) that if you spend more time on your phone than reading the Bible, something has to change!
What does religion has to do with this
@@Xbk677 the word "fast" has multiple meaning. Fasting can mean fasting from food for dietary reasons, like you don't eat from a certain time to a certain time. In religious spaces like Christianity, fasting is for religious reasons. We can fast from food and also things like social media. I think religion was mentioned to distinguish the fact that this was religious fast and not to confuse people with the dieting term fast.
honestly sometimes people make me feel weird for not having social media. deleting social media has been the best thing for me. i feel as tho people look at me as a 'loser' or 'not allowed social media' but deleting social media has been the best. i text my closest friends and i feel at peace knowing i don't have to worry about someone leaving me on 'delivered' or 'opened' or 'they didn'tlike my picture' & all that. i feel at peace & it's the best feeling.
I wasn’t actually allowed to get social media and I used to be angry at my parents because I was one of the only people at school without it, but now I’m glad. I can see from people around me how socially media negatively affects you and the problems it causes, and I’m so glad that I’m away from all of that.
What kind of negative impacts have you observed it having on people?🤔
@@liadanryan-gerhardt7189 I know girls who have become really insecure since using social media to the point where they developed eating disorders, became cyber bullied and some even suicidal. I know a lot of people who got cyber bullied actually. I had a friend who used to be really nice but after she started frequently using social media she became really insecure and projected that by being really mean to others about the things she was insecure about (mainly weight). Those are just a few examples, and it doesn’t negatively affect all people but from what I have seen it does change some people
Sometimes parents are right about things we don't want them to be. Some kids grow up and understand where the parents were coming from, others rebel and I'm curious what causes rebelling against vs adopting our parents' advice.
I'm not allowed to have social media either..I only have you tube. This has helped me so much!! I realize I'm not the only one!!!!
@@ashlyn4954 yeah I get you, I sometimes feel excluded but overall I’m glad that I don’t
After watching "The Social Dilemma" it opened my eyes to the world of social media and how toxic and destructive it can be if you don't have self-control. I also don't use social media and I can honestly say that it is life changing!!🍈
i got rid of social media starting almost a year ago and now i'm gearing up to get rid of my smartphone too! very exciting and i love being off social media but i can't say i'm super productive lol it's so hard to get my brain to engage in anything practical or productive.
Good job!
I wanna do it too but the cool aesthetic books and some good pages and comic pages prevent me from it 😭😭😭 any tips?
@秋 seasons 🍁🍂 and try new hobbies! i didn't know what to do with myself after i first deleted everything but then i started making pottery, jewelry, rollerskating, and biking. i just started picking up a bunch of hobbies! :)
I got rid of my smartphone for 6 months then switch back to it. Not because I needed it, because it was a very useful tool but came with a lot of distractions. The new 4G feature phones that come with Kai OS is a good concept but poor execution by giving features phone smartphones like abilities. Slow and clucky is my main gripe about it sadly.
I sold my Moto G7 for 6 months and got myself a Blu V50 after those 6 months, not a bad phone nor a good one. Honestly it's right for me because it can't do much in the first place. Best part I recently got myself a 10th gen Kindle Paperwhite and a Samsung Galaxy Tab a7 Lite that mainly for reading Comics/Books and it's a lifesaver! I also use it for podcasts and "Scary stories" which I enjoy! Its like a own personal world without all the bullshit that comes with social media.
You might have adhd , the brain is seeking dopamine and this you can’twill yourself into focusing on what you want/ are interested in
So my issue is that I have no problem not using instagram, snapchat etc. My real issue is staying off of youtube and off of netflix. I have a lot of time now but usually I feel tired and I end up laying in bed watching youtube and netflix as a sort of 'relaxation'. Although I wish to use that time to go out and do hobbies or be productive. So really my question is, how to get motivated to study? How do I motivate myself to get out and not be lazy?
Motivation is hard. Sometimes you just have to force yourself to get up and do it. Then it becomes easier. Starting something new is the hardest part. Sounds like you may need to give up TV/videos for a little while!
Plan it, love it, and see for yourself
Hey, another way of looking at this is maybe you need a rest. I used to really beat myself up for how much netflix I watched when I thought “should have been studying” or doing something else. Now when I look back I realise I had really unrealistic expectations for how motivated I should be and how much studying I should have been doing. I think all that “procrastination” was actually just me getting the rest I need. (Obviously this is just my personal experience. Sometimes you do need a little encouragement to do things that bring you more joy (like hobbies for example), and there might be better ways of resting (like being in nature rather than on netflix)). I’d just encourage you to be kind to yourself and be curious about what might be driving this “laziness”, rather than immediately seeing it as a problem and beating yourself up about it.
I have the same issue but what I found is that using netflix and youtube as a reward after you get a piece of work done makes u more motivated. For example, try starting to do your work as soon as you get home and once you either finish an assignment / task OR you start to procrastinate then u can take a break and reward yourself for doing so! Then you should be able to get work done! Also, for netflix you should pause between each episode or each youtube video rather than in the middle so that you dont feel like youre missing anything and its easier to stop
One of my friends taught me this trick: if you want to get up and do something (go on a walk, a swim, pick up a book), just think to yourself, "If I get there and I don't want to anymore, I can always just turn around and go home."
Most of the time, you'll be happy with moving and won't turn around :)
The problem is, it's not just social media, it's youtube as well. I find myself scrolling and watching viodes all day without getting out of bed. I find myself feeling terrible after doing this, and this has affected my life to a degree that I cannot take anymore. I find that I'm not involved in my things, etc. Thank you for making this video. I have also been contemplating getting rid of the apps that I have been wasting time on. Hopefully, when I finish getting off social media, I will use it wisely again.
I see your point yeah :) You got this!
i quit social media for a month and highly recommend it! very beneficial, i made a video about it (:
It is SO GREAT hearing younger people talk about mental health and social media!! Lucy Allan, your self-awareness and personal growth is really encouraging to see 👍
thanks justin :)
great video! as someone who makes a living on social media, its totally hard to turn it off. I am very envious of your journey with it!
At least you are using social media as a way to make a living, means it isn’t using you!
Hi @Humphrey Yang, did you end up making a 2nd account work related account? I'm at that point now where I do make a living on some aspects like freelancing and some selling in social media but they are all using one account. I'm seriously considering turning off my personal one and just having a work related one long term.
I don't make a living off social media, but I do create content for it, and I have this same exact issue and I hate it
I only ever had RUclips because of fears and anxieties I had over other platforms. I was in middle school when Facebook got big and I already had a friend saying she wouldn’t invite me to things if I didn’t have one. Ha. I’m glad I felt that way as a kid and ever since. RUclips has always been my home. 🖤✨
This is sad but true .. great work
As someone who also does not use social media, I was coerced into using TikTok for a few weeks and the addiction was horrific! I was on it all day every day! Glad I got rid of it. It’s designed to keep you on as much as possible.
My life without social media seems so very light , calm and peaceful and really that was before. And I am really into it now , I do have Facebook but on private coz' I spread only which is relevant stuff. And, it is better to stop using it. Bring back the days that embraced life.
The Prayers, Plants, Nature's, Books, Moon, stars , sunrises and Sunsetting. Breathing, enjoying coffee, good music, happy faces, genuine people, pure love, good soul. The universe will surely smile seeing us and so God will rejoice in all of us. 🙂
lucy! i love how real you keep it, i’m off of social media too except youtube and it really has improved my mental health for the better(: something about deleting social media is that often we feel we are the only ones off the grid but in reality there’s so many likeminded individuals like us out there. can’t wait for your next upload(:
Absolutely! If you look at the comments of these videos there are so many of us out there… so encouraging to hear we aren’t alone🥰!! Thank you so much for the kind words, it really means a lot
@@LucyAlllan your reply made me so happy! peace and love(:
Hey! I have a question. I'm also trying to get off social media, except youtube. How much time do you spend on youtube (or even netflix)? Since I catch myself watching youtube or netflix a lot instead of being productive.
@@Lilly-hk6qn if you find yourself spending too much time but don't want to delete your accounts, limiting your screentime or using website blockers works for me! i will block it on my phone and my laptop for some hours of each day when i want to be productive. knowing they are blocked helps my brain think about things other than that + is easier for me to focus on being productive. that's what i do with social media lately and it has definitely helped me!
@@LucyAlllan oui vrai
At the end of the day - I believe this:
- Social Media is a great tool if you use it to produce (instead of consume)
If you (behind this screen, yes you) improve yourself and create more will/discipline,
you can make wonders happen. My life massively shifted to being a producer that is present and happy.
my parents took my social media over a year ago. i was soooo pissed at the time *cue air punching* but i actually think it’s been good for me. the only thing that sucks about it is communicating with friends. almost nobody gets phone numbers anymore, but it differentiates between the people who actually care to get to know you. you have no idea how many guys just ghost you after they don’t get the response they want to “snap?” and it’s really helpful to weed out all of the douchebags who just want to hook up. totally recommend detoxing, voluntary or not.
Grace, in case you don’t know, your parents likely did this because they love and care about you. Much easier as a parent to let you be on phone all day. Much harder, but better for your well being to stop you. Thank them some day!
“Snap?” is so weak. Lmao, this is why dating is becoming harder (from what I’m seeing). It’s the equivalent of “wyd?”An ex bf of mine use to say that all the time. It’s so boring and shows no effort.
I realised that life was so much more fun, slow and beautiful when my dad took me out last month on my birthday to his old college and the area he used to live in when he first met my mom. He took me to such beautiful places and told me so much stories about what he used to do back in the day. I thought to myself and said, do I have any stories like these? What will I remember out of a temporary life that lasts only a few years when all I do is care about what people think of me because of social media. Also it’s funny when I think to myself, what stories will I tell my children?
Social media has never benefited me and I’m saying this out of experience. After I left it for a while, things finally started to feel real. I wasn’t only surviving but I was actually living. I’m spending more time with my family too because my time to talk with them is only limited and I can’t stand having more regrets because of social media. Turns out I never needed to know what a celebrity ‘eats for a day’ or ‘how I got an hourglass body’ videos because once I left it my body felt healthy because I was moving it and I was too busy enjoying my life I never even realised how much I’ve changed in a few days. My body, my hair, my skin, my social skills and even my grades.
I was so worried I would regret deleting it but turns out I was too busy being exposed to the real world that I couldn’t care to even go back to it. So so so so much advantages and doors opened after I gave up social media and minimised the amount of time I spend on my phone.
I recommend it 100%. Don’t look back.
Beautiful comment
Our parents carry beautiful memories with them, where as i can't even remember what i watched yesterday in Tiktok😂, forget telling stories from memory.
I stopped posting on social media about 5 years ago and I’ve found I love my pictures a lot more because I’m not spending ages making them look perfect, just taking them to capture a moment.
i remember subscribing right after your video about deleting social media, i can't believe it's already been six months! i deleted instagram more than a year ago and it's been the best decision. i hate how "important" social media are today, when i tell people i meet at uni i don't have instagram they are almost shocked. to me, it feels much better this way. great video lucy and love from italy ! x
Wow, happy 6 months to you haah! We aren’t alone on this journey 😅 so happy to hear you’re benefiting from the time offline
Same ☺️
@@abi_rff it is :( i hope you'll find your people, we're not weird for choosing to live in the moment and not online !
Gotta admit I also acted (kinda) shocked when my roommate told me he doesn't use social media. Not in a bad way tho, I was just really curious about the why and how and admired it
I also deleted Instagram, Snapchat, Facebook and all other social media about 10 months ago and only a couple times did I wish I had it, but more often than not, I’m glad I don’t. I got a Facebook page again to find housing, and often I wish I didn’t have it. I also use RUclips more than I care to admit. It’s hard and when I choose to be off my phone I notice how many people are on their phone. Happy more people are taking care of mental health and getting odd social media!
I wish 'bigger' RUclipsrs followed in your footsteps too. The positive influence then would be massive.
Let’s hope it happens 😊
I’ve been off Instagram for 3 years and Facebook almost 10 years. Let me tell you I carry way more joy than the people around me. It’s insane. God is good 😊
nice!
Just starting this journey
I dramatically reduced my social media usage about 9 months ago now. One of the best decisions I ever made. I had developed serious social anxiety trying to engage in activism online, and I felt better after just a few weeks. I didn’t give up on activism though - I just get my information from books and make my contributions in person.
I think the key thing is to take a realistic look at what you’re getting from social media and ask yourself if you can get that another way. Normally you can, and it often ends up being better than the social media version anyway
As with anything, self control and moderation are part of the key to balance your life. I try to look for videos that will teach me something to further my skills so I'm more productive. It's very tempting to look at "stuff" that's sucks your time and energy and I definitely fall victim to that, but if used the right way it can be beneficial to you and everyone you interact with. Just giving my penny worth of input! No judgement whatsoever. Find balance in everything.
like seriously i hate those who text rude msg to anyone else without knowing anything even on social media everyone wants to be a cool by hating giving rude reply as they think that will make them turn into a bad bitch and those words that keep lingering on minds is all bcoz of social media umm glad to u for posting these things it made me encouraged💜thanks to uuu lucy
I deleted social media 7 months ago thanks to this video, and I can 100% say my life has been so much better!
I am so glad Oliver!
through this whole year I’ve taken weekly to monthly breaks & gone back to social media because i thought i was ready. i started a longer break since September because i realized i wasn’t ready at all to be back on it & couldn’t create a healthy relationship with the time i spent on it. I’m planning to maybe come back next year but it has honestly changed my life i feel like im not constantly seeing other people’s life or putting myself down because someone’s internet life is more “productive” than mine
Love this! “At the end of the day, all you’re doing is deleting a couple apps,” it really is so much more simple than we make it.
omg, true! i quit social media for a month and made a video about it, by the way, if you feel like checking it out (:
Something I did while I was on my Instagram break was read books on my phone, or even keep physical books in my bag. If I had downtime, like being in a line or something, I always had something to do that was productive. This video is a sign I have to delete it again. Since going back, I started taking selfie’s again. It’s definitely not healthy for me.
I decided to deactivate my instagram account 5 months ago and haven't missed it once ever since. In fact I have felt more peace and less negativity towards myself and have more time to live in the "real world". People my age (I'm 21) ask me how I do it and I tell them it was easy when you realize how little social media actually does for you in the long run. I'm glad to see other people in this generation turn away from the norm of living vicariously through others on their phones and promote healthy social habits! This is the first video of yours I have seen and I will be subscribing! xx
This is kinda nice to hear, as someone who isn’t allowed to have insta I was worried I’d miss out or lose friends. but thank you for the reminder that if I need an app for them to be my friends, they aren’t actually good friends
Ty for this vid :)
No problem!!
Just turned 25 a few days ago and I have been off social media for 2 years now. I just got back on IG but as a private account with no pics just to follow celebs and architecture pages and its honestly more freeing to me. I always enjoyed person interactions and now that I get that more from true friends who want to see me means lot. I value other things all over again like I did before I got on social media as a teenager. Its simply freeing knowing that I no longer have to give someone a "handle" to follow me who will never talk to me again. Love the video!
After I came across your youtube channel you helped me to make the final decision to delete all the social media. It's been 4 months and I don't miss anything about that. At this point my mental health matters more. I am more concentrated on my school work (I am not even in my class group chat on insta) . Some of my fake friends still to this day didn't even notice that I am off social media. Other than that I text my real friends every day. I am not ever going back to that toxic place. It's wonderful to catch up with your life lucy and thanks for sharing it! You are such a sweet and beautiful gal!
Im so happy to hear that you have deleted it and feel better!!! Keep it up, you got this😇
Except obviously RUclips which is also social media, but the toxic part of RUclips doesn't matter!
i havent been on social media since August and it feels great knowing that i'm no longer attached to my phone anymore. being on your phone for too long can be very draining and seeing too much of people's business can be addiciting.
well said Clarissa
You’re right there Clarissa. Not only can it be addicting but also very depressive thinking you aren’t doing nothing in yo life just watching others live their best of lives. Ima delete my socials and work on myself. Doing more of what makes me happy and a better person. Focus more on my own journey and do better with myself… Thanks so much for the video :)
@@learnwithmanuella1036 yes, you should. I have gotten back to my true passions which was reading and writing.
I am in TEARS! You have inspired me to make a significant change in my life. I am so sick of feeling so negative all the time when generally, I'm a positive person! I'm making this change. Starting with Tiktok & limiting my Facebook usage to only an hour a day. Only to keep up with extended family that uses that platform as a means to communicate with me :) You are an inspiration! & you have gained a sub. Cheers!
Thank you so much! You got this!
Loved the video! As a preteen, I decided to stop using Snapchat and TikTok and my life has been different ever since. I’m a teenager now and my perspective on life has grown and improved so much. I’ve found my passions, my idealized life, and good friends. It was especially hard for me to go through Covid without these two main social media apps, but I got through it, and I feel better, healthier, and happier. I’d definitely recommend for others to try this long-term social media detox too!
You literally look so much brighter and naturally happy. There's a sereine energy you're transmitting.
X
thanks oriane xx
I’ve been trying out something new with my social media. Just deleted instagram off my phone (but still keeping my personal account active/not deleting it just in case) and only keeping the big “4” on my phone (Pinterest, Twitter, Tumblr, and RUclips) just so I can kind of keep up with current news if I wanted to. I’m also trying to actively reduce my screen time on my phone so I can better study for my classes as well as trying to enjoy my hobbies again.
I’ve been using social media for a little over a decade now (started my first instagram at age 10, now I’m 21) and I’ve lost my teenage years to it. I don’t want to lose my twenties to it
Wow Anna, we really are on the same boat! Yes, you’re 20’s are for exploring the world and having fun with friends!!
i deleted all of my social media too, i feel much lighter, less anxious and productive
i only have youtube bc sometimes it's very usefull
i love your videos! thank youuu!!!
💘💘🇧🇷
Im so happy you feel mentally better! If you get value out of RUclips then you shouldn’t delete it😇
Just disabling notifications and removing the icons from your first page on your phone or bookmarks is actually a great way of cutting hours without going full on delete mode... I deleted instagram because for me it was just a scrolling time sink. I kept facebook because where I live lot's of cafés and clubs use it to post their events and information surrounding those events, but I've disabled facebook notifications and removed the app from my homescreen which makes me scroll it far less often than I would before.
I deleted my socials last year. I did it a few weeks before a big move. The most notable thing for me was the fact that every time we stopped to have a break (from moving heavy house things, sofas, cabinets etc) id sit down and INSTANTLY start trying to find an app to scroll through. It was eye opening that in the downtime between jobs, i felt the only way to spend my free time was to scroll through things i dont find interesting...
I soon after found a lot of joy with sitting in the sun with a glass of cold water listening to the birds. Bliss.
I had a baby at 18 (4 years ago) and I got rid of all my social media’s when I fell pregnant. I made a new Facebook with about 150 friends because of keeping in touch with old school friends and family etc. I am certain I would be a truly different person, in a bad way, had I not made this choice. I am very present and I just focus on my own life and those who I love. I am glad I’m not up-to-date with current trends because like you say, I’d much rather be up-to-date with the real world! I would like to get rid of my iPhone and just buy a good camera for memories next. Well done on your journey!!
4:33 reminded me strongly of Bo Burnhams quote: "If you can live a life without an audience, do it.". I suppose this is quite a challenge. :)
Very good video, good quality and content! Subscribed.
Well said!
I love what you said about noticing that we tend to hop on our phone when we have a break of a few minutes. I was thinking about that last week, my compulsion to pick up the phone or do something, anything, if I had a 5-minute break, say in between tasks while cooking. Or having a podcast on, something to devote my attention to. Last week I actually tried not to do that during those short breaks in the kitchen, and it felt good; like you said, I guess it felt more like the days before social media (I was in college when FB came out). It’s still a habit for me to break, but it’s good to recognize that I do it. I’ve seen videos about not only ditching social media but also switching to a flip phone, and the idea of both is intriguing. Not sure if I could actually do it, but I like the idea of trying to limit myself to only checking once per day. I certainly notice that I spend way too much time on the phone doing really nothing important or meaningful. Anyway, love this video, thank you for sharing!
It’s been about two months since I stepped away from the digital world and almost as soon as I did I realised how disconnected my peers were. It made me sad. People would rather scroll then engage with their friends and live in the moment. I may not understand most of the trends going around but I’m happy I guess haha
omg! i talk about the same thing on my latest video where i spent a month without social media, people just can’t live in the moment anymore! it’s truly very sad
It's so refreshing to see someone my age who has taken the same decision regarding social media! I deleted all my accounts three years ago. I don't really miss it at all!
so happy to hear you feel good about it :)
I'm a gen z too and like you i logged out of social media, this summer and it was so enriching i did so many things i know i wouldn't have bc i used to dedicate hours to my phone. And then i installed it again it's been a bit more than a month now and i am noticing how it's affecting me. So i logged out it again this week end for a much needed break i think. The real thing is that unlike what you shared i am still struggling to let go of it bc of many reasons but the point here is that when i question my self on the impact of social media on my life there are more "cons" than "pros".
My point here is just saying that asking this question to myself is making me think of how it can feel like a trap.
I mean maybe you’re not in the right stage to delete it so you shouldn’t 😊
I'm also 20 years old and I can testify that this vid is really true. I also had some times of relapsing on social media addiction, but I still do apply it and doing my best to stay committed with my growth
So happy to hear this! Self growth :)
Ive been off of social for a year. What you said about people filling empty minutes with their phones (for example while waiting for the bus) is one the the things that annoys me the most nowadays. It's just 5 minutes, why can't you just look around for five minutes??..
Exactly Ana!
I am not using social media since 2 weeeks the short span thing was really bad thing about it, I was not able to watch lectures for my study, you won't believe even I wasn't able to watch a movie. Now it's much better for me. great video btw:)
About the friend thing, i do wanna add though that it is a bit different with friends that live further away. Social Media can be an important way to communicate, and if that falls away and the friendship suffers under that, it does not have to mean that they weren't real friends - so i think the concern about that is sometimes really justified. Your video however is motivating me to delete all those apps that i really do not need to connect with others and that i tend to waste my time on...which quite honestly includes youtube as well, I'm glad i came across your video but i'd be kidding myself if i didn't admit that i only came here because i'm trying to procrastinate haha.
I would suggest getting their WhatsApp and calling them from time to time. As a traveller and someone currently living abroad, not having social media has not affected any friendships back home :)
@@LucyAlllan That's cool to hear that it works well for you even with long distance friendships! I have friends with whom that works as well, but i also have friends where social media just plays a more important role (even when i have their number). My point is more that friendships can be different, and the means in which you communicate or stay in touch doesn't have to be reflective of the quality :)
Deleting tiktok was one of the best decisions ive made. I used to watch tiktok for hoooours, but now i have so much extra time!
I deleted instagram about a month ago. I am having a hard time with Facebook. I know it's eating up all of my time. I delete if off of my phone, but just keep adding it back. I was born in the early 80's so I know the potential my free time can have.
losing my phone was unironically the best thing that ever happened to me, my social anxiety had went away and I read and learn about so much now.
yes! to add onto that, I wanted to say that I try to keep my entertainment stuff (TikTok, games, etc) on my iPad and the more useful stuff on my phone (like the kindle app), that way if I'm in public waiting in line I'll read some of a book or check my email instead of mindlessly scrolling. Whenever I pick up my iPad I'm allowing myself to indulge in social media and games and it helps separate work from play if that makes sense
i deactivated my main account last week and can't even access my other one, and it feels so good. i feel WAY more present -- i don't think we're supposed to know so much information about everyone's lives you know what i mean? and like what they're liking, where they are 24/7, everything they're thinking, etc. etc. it just leads to information overload sometimes which makes us more anxious !!! anyway love the video so much !!!
I have been social media free ( besides RUclips) for almost 5 years now and I couldn’t be happier without it all!!
Nice Rachel
I’m the same! But honestly now my biggest problem is spending too much time on RUclips. I’m considering giving that up too.. where is the happy medium? Do you limit your time on it daily? It’s so hard to not just grab my phone and check RUclips whenever I get the chance. It’s just as bad as having social media for me.
@@YourCasey I feel you!! I’ve gotten to a point where I have watched all I can watch and have mindless watched dumb videos or horrible news on my feed or the random suggestions videos! So I recently bought a book so that when I have caught up with the channels I’m subscribed to and actually enjoy watching, instead of mindlessly start watching junk I pull out my book !!
My social media journey has completely changed throughout the years. You won’t find me on Facebook, you won’t find me on Instagram, you won’t find me on tiktok, or reddit. I’ve completely deleted all of those accounts. The only ones still active are twitter (I have a healthy relationship w/ the app. I know most don’t but I have a pretty well curated timeline to avoid icky upsetting things) and Snapchat. My brain feels much happier just having those two. I like my bubble I’m living in.
I was working with a dude the other day. Every 2 minutes, he was glued to his phone sending snaps or screen shots or whatever Idk, It really slowed us down. It puts me off seeing how unproductive people are with snapchat so I'm not even bothered that I don't use it.
I use facebook and Instagram occasionally to catch up with a small amount of family and friends and it works great for me.
I think we could all do with less social media, it can easily become a dopamine addiction and doesn't allow you to fully live in the present moment.
Don‘t stop with the social media videos, i love them 😄
Hahaah I think now I’ve said everything I need to say but let’s see! Maybe at one year 😉
I’m 26 and was incredibly surprised at 22 when I discovered minimalism. 4 years later I’ve completed the 100 thing challenge and lived with only 100 things for a year, and still am an extreme minimalist, with my own rules. 200-300 items. I’m married, and have a baby on the way. This started with a series of personal challenges, just questioning why we do things “because everyone does it”. This is very inspirational to me. ❤ thank you for doing this.
Hiiiii
I deleted social media 2 days ago. I found myself searching all these different pages and groups for the most liked memes so I could share them and get likes from people on my friends list. I wasted hours and days doing that. Then I would rarely get any likes. That’s when I realized most of the people on my friends list weren’t my friends. Not because they didn’t like me, but they were mostly people from old jobs, dead friendships, and acquaintances from school from over a decade ago. I didn’t really have any real connections with these people anymore and haven’t seen most of them in many years. It made me feel like a loser that was desperate for attention. I constantly compared myself to other people and I was never as popular as them on the Internet and it made me feel like a lesser person. I think it’s distracting me from my real life as well. My girlfriend makes comments about me being on Facebook to often. At work, I constantly check my phone to see if I have notifications. It’s always on my mind wondering if someone is going to send me a message or like something on my page or tag me but it almost never happens. When I would get a notification, I would be so happy and check it really fast only to see it was a page I like that posted an update or something. It sucked. I actually felt embarrassed about who I am because of Facebook. I would delete things that didn’t get any likes and keep the things that got some like. Then people would call me out on it saying I delete everything I post. My insecurities made me look like an idiot in front of literally everyone I met and added on there. Deleting Facebook for me is my way of refocusing on real life and paying attention to the people in my life that actually want to be there and who deserve the attention I wasted on fake internet friends. I’ve done this before, but this time, I feel differently. I feel like Facebook is a drug addiction that I am finally ready to give up for good. I realized I don’t even like most of the people on there. So that’s that. Social media is over for me. I want to be mentally healthy.
I'm not gen Z but spend so many mindless hours scrolling thru social media. Been trying to be more productive but find myself still in the rut of laying in bed staring at my phone as you mentioned. Your video made me think and wonder why I'm living like this?! There's so much more to life out there! Thanks for sharing your experience and perspective on this ☺
You are so welcome!
i deleted twitter, snapchat, facebook, and tik tok almost a year ago now and ive never felt better!! i love the term digital minimalism that you brought up because it so much nicer to have 1 or 2 platforms instead of 6 to check!! awesome video!
Love that!
this was massively helpful. Thanks for the nuanced perspective. I feel like a lot of videos like this promote an unrealistic goal to cut everything all the time which leaves the viewer feeling like they are weak-willed when they inevitably fail. This felt realistic and refreshing.
Glad it was helpful!
I'm 39 - I gave up social media and the news! I feel so much healthier and happier without it. I thought I could never do it because I write content for businesses on social media - but I just created a work account for FB and it works well. Good for you for even thinking and being aware of how it made you feel. It's about living your truth and ridding toxicity around you. Keep it up! A life without social media is SWEET. X
Nice! So glad to hear that
Love that you have made this video! :)
I deleted my accounts a month ago after having severe anxiety and addition to social media.
I had chest pains and racing thoughts and could not focus. after two weeks of coming off of social media the anxiety finally stopped and has not come back. I totally relate to everything you say about it deteriorating your mental health.
I am in my 30s and very lucky to probably be the last generation to have an entire childhood in the 90s and early 2000s where social media did not exist and neither did smartphones to create screen and social media addiction.
Wow. So sorry about what you went through. Glad you took the bold step for your mental health. Interesting to note the social media toxicity can affect all age groups engaging with it. I've read somewhere that the human brain is not wired or evolved to welcome a thousand thoughts and people into it at a time which is what social media technically does.
Personally, I've found some social media groups can feel like being in classroom again despite having graduated from that class long ago. This isn't healthy.
In my 30s too and have had my fair share of the social media toxicity😂. I can laugh now because I've healed. I still use it as I can't help it due to work purposes especially but I use it with a lot of strong boundaries. Privacy tools like blocking, and unfollow buttons are my good 'friends'😀. The idea of moderation and using it mindfully, and minimally is wise.
I quit social media in January (and I'm going to keep it that way forever) and I have changed so much. I finally know who I am and what I want. I haven't been this happy in so long.
This is such a great video! When my anxiety was really bad, I put my phone on silent for 6 months.
I have autism and I am easily influenced by peoples moods around me or the overall environment.I quit social media due to my mental health deteriorating like a a bowl of melting ice cream, with all the negative hateful comments , death threats from internet trolls, and the infighting between which was my friends and family. So I had to stop because it affected my home and work life in a huge way. When I hit delete, it’s like a dark mass finally lifted and now I am much more happy, more empathetic,attentive with my surroundings. And just overall healthier.
You're amazing, Lucy. I'm more than glad you made the right choice, and that you're genuinely happy with yourself while living the rest of your life.
I hope you’re happy too!
for me deleting tiktok made a huuge differnce - i felt like it was such a waste of time and it kind of captivated you and didnt let you go
I did this and it worked in the beginning, but after a while it did more harm than good to just cut it all off. My takeaway is to «be mindful». Is social media helping or hurting you right now? Listen to how you feel and what you are thinking. Some times (like after an anxiety attack) social media has distracted me and also made me better. Other times, social media coul cause anxiety and make me feel bad. The problem isn’t the tool, but how you use it. And you 100% get a better judgement if you take a break, at least for a week or two. Then you know you can do without it and when you maybe need it too.
I agree and like thiss. I think sometimes extreme measures or "all or nothing" can remove the problem but not solve it. (: mindfulness helps. I take frequent breaks like monthly or weekly and just unfollow negative / non positive people. Limit myself to just IG, yt , deleted snapchat months ago, and removed everyone from my fb timeline so I only see groups I'm in. & I never got sucked into Tiktok because I refuse to get addicted to a mindless app.
@@LashayNaria i have noticed that social medias are merging into eachother. The reason why i didnt like snap is now on instagram, and the same with tik tok, with shorts on youtube. I catch myself watching them and saying «but it isn’t tik tok» meanwhile the videos are indeed from tiktok. At least so far it isn’t thirst traps, more fact based.
But yes curating your feed is a good idea, i recently started unfollowing friends that I thought weren’t good for me. Bold move, but it’s okay to outgrow people or their content. I hope your way continues to work for you!
This video needs more promotion, more people need to learn what you have learned
My life has never been more peaceful. Some people can't feel the change the same way but for myself if I "social media blacked out" I would snap back feeling sloppy and slow, unmotivated. However when I quit I never really looked back, one thing though is the sadness I feel watching others, specifically younger kids waste their time.
I deleted social media, I had to. My screen-time was getting out of hand I could spend 8-10 hours on social media a day , especially TIKTOK. Ever since then, I got my attention span back. I'm living my life in the present moment and I'm a lot happier. I've picked up my old hobbies like reading again. I feel like I'm my authentic true self now.
I grew up before social media was big and I grew up with it as well. Half and half. I can honestly tell you that life before social media was so much better. We connected more. Memories are more meaningful. And conversations were more insightful. You cannot compare the life before to todays. And I’m so glad that this younger generation is opening they’re eyes and removing the invisible chains attached to they’re soul.
Props to you! I am 15 almost 16 and I’ve been on social media since I was 10,and I wish i never downloaded TikTok but I’m too deep in to delete it,but i wish I didn’t. Having social media young is hard. I personally couldn’t delete anything bc I’m addicted,but i love how you incorporated this into your real life!
This has me inspired to try and cut down on my social media usage too. I can't afford to delete it altogether because of long distance friendships, but i am on it all way too much and it doesn't do me any favours. Cheers to you for doing this and talking about it!
Whohoooo
I really like the term "digital minimalism" and the thought of using media to your advantage. I think with these phrases you expressed the whole thing very well
GenZ like Lucy here are giving me the faith. I have a young girlfriend, also gen Z, and I have to say, that I am surprised by the level of maturity of her and her friends. Not that forced wannabe adult, nope, the real world one. I have faith in young people.
The Millenial.
We aren’t a half bad generation 😇
Im sorry buy you have a" young girlfriend" 🧐?
Am m thought the same lol what does he mean by saying “young girlfriend, also gen Z”?????
Mate are u born in 1996, 1997 or 1998 dating a 2001, 2002 and 2003 and below 😬🤨
@@borisjohnsonsson4088 pretty sure millienials are 1995 or below at least so it makes it even more awkward
I actually deleted social media this June because of your video! 🥰 my thought process for this was slightly negative (i.e. I'm not pretty/interesting enough to be posting on Insta anyways) but also I think the biggest reason why I finally did it was just one tiny question whenever looking at Insta stories: why do I care? 😂 people who want to keep in contact with me have my number and comparison with celebrities and Insta models is toxic for me 🤷🏼♀
Wow I can’t believe the video made you delete it, that’s incredible! Although your reasoning is really upsetting, I think you’ll find yourself a lot happier offline where you don’t need to prove anything!
I remember from back when I didn't have a phone in middle school when all my classmates did, I felt really awkward and out of place when everyone was on theirs and I was just sitting there. It gave me terrible feelings. To this day I would still not know what to do in a situation like that, and it gives me anxiety just thinking about everyone talking and me not knowing anyone and just sitting there silently That is to say that I think everyone who's able to do this is very brave and I look up to you all.
I really loved this video. I deleted my Instagram nearly 4 years ago and it has been such a game changer. Real life is so much more fulfilling! Well done you! I hope your video inspires more people to evaluate their social media use and how much it is impacting their mental health💜
So good! ❤️
I haven’t had most of social media for 3 years and just recently deleted tik Tok. I can vouch I feel like more of a real person and I focus so much more on my growth and I do not compare myself to others as often as I would of when I had social media. It’s become just part of my life not to share things on Snapchat Or Instagram and honestly it is much needed even if you don’t want to maybe test it out for a week and even a day if ur able and feel the difference!
I think I'd do perfectly fine with social media apps if there was a way to turn off the trends/popular/recommended page on them. That's where the toxic stuff and rabbit holes come from usually. Except for TikTok, that's just one giant rabbit hole and I'm glad my brain doesn't really want to click on it much because of the sensory overload. The first app I could easily delete off my phone.
I say this because several of my hobbies are only connected through online community, so getting rid of Instagram would keep me from progressing in that hobby. But Instagram Reels and the endless scroll on the popular page are my enemy.
Exactly what I’ve been thinking about. I’m literally sick of recommendations stuffs… I’d love to explore other things as well… but duhh!!! App i cn delete 1st thing off my phone. I second it.
I totally agree - I deleted Instagram for about 6 months and it was great except I’ve moved around a ton and I really missed seeing what my family/friends are up to and being able to easily contact them. So I re-downloaded it and pretty ruthlessly unfollowed anything that didn’t pertain to my real life. But then with all the reels and ads I still get sucked into stuff. I really wish I could get rid of those and just use it to keep in contact with people I care about!
Woop! I grew up without social media (1987 baby here) but got addicted in my 20s. I deleted my Facebook a few years ago and then Instagram last year when i got pregnant! It’s not a magic pill but it’s definitely helped my anxiety and the comparison trap… the apps are pure ads and designed to keep us scrolling. I LOVE that now when I see friends I haven’t seen, we actually have news for each other!! Like oh you went on holidays etc 😂 I still go on RUclips as a viewer but I feel like it’s different than other social media platforms! Never had Snapchat but my younger friends drive me crazy taking snaps when we are doing boring stuff but trying to make it look fun 🤦🏼♀️😂
Thanks for sharing Charlotte! :D
Love this! I deleted all social media for a year and loved it! Then I felt the same about RUclips and got it again. I personally didn’t have any fomo because I was able to focus on my own life ❤️❤️
❤️❤️
this was the final straw, so now social media is gone from my phone & computer. thank you for helping me :))
I deleted snapchat a month ago, and Instagram earlier today and when I saw this video I knew it was a sign to delete tik tok as well, I'm already quite happy with deleting snapchat because I felt like I really weeded out the friends who would only send me streaks and it's nice to know that the people in your life are actually there for you.
Yeah maybe just start with Snapchat and take your time then if you think you might benefit being off it😊