What a short-lived social media cleanse taught me
We care so much about our skincare, what we eat, and our workout routines, but what if I told you these may all be pointless? What if the root of our health issues, anxieties, and unfulfilled goals is actually because of the people we let into our lives? Who dictates your emotional well-being? Are you really in control of your mind and body?
Wellness culture has caught the attention of our university students through run clubs, organic foods at Naturity, and fully booked classes at the new SALT fitness studio. On any given day, you can spot herds of people having their own Chariots of Fire running moment across West Sands. Sauna culture is flourishing, and our allowances are going towards Alo Yoga sets that fit the trending aesthetic. I myself have always been quite into the health scene… spending a shameful amount of money on pilates classes, supplements, and fad trends. I am sure at least one reader of this article also fell victim to the Bloom Greens during COVID!
However, the real challenge to our health is not creating good routines, but the media we consume. There is a misconception that toxicity only takes the form of abuse, anger, and supposedly tangible experiences, yet much of what is actually affecting us is concealed in the form of fifteen-second TikTok clips and Instagram stories.
It is no secret that social media affects us, but do we ever stop to think about how?
I gave up social media for two weeks, and while I did come back to it, I want to note my three largest takeaways and how even two weeks changed my perspective.
Privacy:
We aren’t meant to know, see and hear everything about one another; social media has granted us too much access into one another’s personal lives. To be human is to make mistakes, but now it seems that all of our mishaps are recorded and therefore inescapable. But how do we navigate this absence of privacy? This requires us to think before we post and think before we react to posts. Mental wellness works in tandem with not letting other people’s opinions and lives consume you and dictate your decisions!
Friendship:
In the same vein, the time I spent away from Instagram led me to realize that I do not give my friends enough gratitude and attention. While at a birthday dinner, I was sitting at the Criterion, not scrolling, not stalking, not gossiping. Instead, I was present in conversation, laughing about topics that had absolutely nothing to do with random people on the internet (my grandma would be quite alarmed if she knew hanging out at a bar normally involved scrolling!). Giving your undivided attention to those around you is often overlooked and dismissed by our generation. However, it is these small, post-free moments that improve our moods and strengthen our relationships. The removal of social media during a night out made me a better person and friend, and gave me a happier night!
Free Time:
The third largest takeaway from my cleanse was the freedom and mental clarity I felt. The extensive screen time I had spent watching other people’s lives, including influencers who gave me a false sense of reality, dissipated. Suddenly, I had hours of time that I could allocate to healthy activities, i.e., reading, exercise, studying, and sleep! With no doomscrolling platform to fall into, I focused my downtime on activities that improved my routine, rather than ones that wasted my time, threatened my productivity, and darkened my mood.
While my cleanse was short-lived, it was a period of extreme self-reflection and a great reset for my mind, body, and calendar! The second you remove negative energy from your life, your health will improve. A social media cleanse would definitely help, but if you aren’t quite ready to part with your distractions, you can always set up a time limit (that you shouldn’t ignore!!) Regardless, though, toxicity takes countless forms in our lives, and we ourselves must reflect on how we are toxic. So take a step back, think before you post, and redefine what a good routine and relationships look like to you.