Social media is a great place for exciting connections and leisure, but it certainly takes its toll on mental health and social life. Scrolling through the perfectly edited pictures of faces and bodies can make anyone feel self-conscious about their own and unhappy with their lives. It’s good to take a step back every now and again to be free from these apps.
Below are four reasons to steer clear of social media for a couple days.
1. You will rediscover appreciation for yourself.
When using social media, it’s only natural to compare yourself to others. The ones with a six pack, skinny legs, and clear skin. It doesn’t matter that most pictures are edited because it’s all too easy to look in the mirror afterwards and not like what we see. How can you not feel inferior when you’re staring at unattainable standards all day?
Taking a break from social media is the best thing to regain appreciation for yourself. Once the phone is down, you’ll be able to really see yourself for who you are. There’s no longer a perfectly edited picture to compare yourself to. This changes what’s in the mirror to something more positive, more realistic and caring. Perfection is overrated, something we can only realize when we’re signed out of our social media accounts.
2. More face-to-face interactions.
Social media is all about communication. When we get sucked into the world of online interactions it’s easy to let other relationships slip. Slowly, time with family and friends diminishes to tend to the relationships formed online. Our abilities to communicate in person begin to diminish.
Take time to put down the phone and really talk to people face-to-face. This will improve your communication skills and make your other relationships stronger. It’s good to take time to be present and in the moment with the ones you love. Time goes by fast and later in life you won’t remember the direct messages with that one guy whose name you’ll forget, but you will remember the memories you make with family and friends.
3. More time for true passions.
Social media is very time consuming. You tell yourself it’s only going to be a five-minute break and then the entire day is gone in a blink. Often, this time isn’t spent wisely, and often, it’s being knee deep in someone’s pictures, someone you really don’t even know. This takes away from the true passions of life.
Whether you enjoy painting, making music, playing sports, or anything else, take time to devote yourself to these activities. By doing the things you truly love to do, it will build you up and lift your spirits. Activities like these will better your life in the long run and won’t leave the same sense of regret you get when you accidentally like someone’s picture from six months ago.
4. You will discover the world is much bigger than on a phone.
It’s easy to get sucked into the world of social media and forget about the rest of the world around you. Social media can feel like the real world, like the place where everything matters. However, that’s not always the case.
There is a big, beautiful world out there you’re missing out on. There are adventures to be had, places to see, food to taste, and people to meet. These are experiences and places you can’t just live out through others’ pictures. Take the time to disconnect and truly live life to the fullest.
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Social media has many great features and elements, but too much of it can really drain you. It’s healthy to take a few days to disconnect and tend to yourself, your passions, and the big world you live in. Even a little bit of time away will brighten your mood tenfold.
Reflect & Refresh 