Saying Adios to Social Media (for a year)
Have you ever had one of those lightning bolt thoughts that comes seemingly out of nowhere, but that won’t go away? Like those deep and nagging questions you can’t seem to forget about that pop up everywhere? As a person of faith I believe deeply that these moments are the work of the Holy Spirit and it’s probably time to pay closer attention, even if the thing nagging you doesn’t feel all that fun.
About a month ago, I was climbing out of the shower when a question struck me like a baseball bat over the head. It wasn’t a still, small whisper, it was a Harry Potter bludger coming straight to knock me off my broom (we are re-reading the series aloud, sorry for the quidditch metaphors but it’s definitely front and center in our household lexicon these days!). The question was this: “What would happen if you lived a year of your life off of social media?” That was it. “What would happen if you signed off line for a year?” All at once I had this visceral reaction that swung between “that feels like the right thing” and “NO I don’t want to!”
You know how when you’re thinking about purchasing a specific car you all of a sudden see that car everywhere? After this thought hit me for the next several weeks all kinds of things came my way that seemed to confirm this was in fact what I needed to do. I randomly received a newsletter article in my inbox about how moms today are so much more tired than our moms were because we are overwhelmed with information that makes us mentally exhausted. I started reading the book The Anxious Generation about tech and our kids and felt sick to my stomach. I realized I just can’t focus on anything anymore. I don’t have words when I sit to write, I can’t seem to finish a book (I have 5 books started right now and I’m not making progress in any of them), which is a huge sign for me that my brain has checked out. And then I remembered we are entering an election season, and we all know what a dumpster fire social media is around elections. I heard John Delony say on his podcast recently “if you know who you are voting for, turn OFF the noise! It’s not helping you make your decision, you already made your decision, it’s just further riling you up and probably negatively impacting your relationships as you see friends and family post things you might disagree with.” I know without a shadow of a doubt who I’m voting for in November, do I really need to stay online to see what everyone else thinks? Probably not.
For several weeks now I’ve spent a lot of time journaling, making lists of what I’d miss, what I might hope to gain, what it would look like practically to cut myself off from what is a major communication tool, especially around school. The more I thought, talked to some close friends, and prayed about it, the more confident I am becoming that this is what I need to do. A friend asked me what I would miss the most, and honestly, it’s keeping in touch with family members who aren’t nearby—aunts, uncles and cousins out west who I really only interact with via social media these days. She said “well, just because you’re giving up social media doesn’t mean you have to give up communicating with friends and family. What if you started a monthly newsletter that people could subscribe to where you share more about what’s happening in your life and how this journey is going for you?” I loved that idea. My plan is to write at least monthly, hopefully a little more often, about what I’m learning this year, still share some great book recommendations, and whatever else comes to mind. I just won’t be able to share it via Facebook links and Instagram any longer. SO, if you are interested in following along this year as I take life offline, feel free to send me your email address and I’ll add you to a list of folks I’ll notify once a month with a round up of what I’ve been writing that month. No pressure at all! But if you want to join the list, just email me at sarahkennedy33@gmail.com and I’ll get you added or send me a text and tell me to add you to the list! I have a post I’m working on for the end of this month with more details about why I felt so compelled to take this step beyond what I’ve shared here, as well as some hopes I have for this year, and then from there I’ll share observations and reflections of what the experience is proving to be like (along with some random life updates as they make sense to share here).
My birthday is coming up on the 23rd, and I felt like that might be a good benchmark. So in just about a week and a half, on September 24, I’m going to ask my husband to change my passwords for both Facebook and Instagram until my birthday next September. I’m going to have him keep me signed into Facebook messenger as that’s a platform I communicate with several teachers through, but I won’t know the password to sign into the actual Facebook or Instagram app. Am I approaching this with both excitement and dread and already a whole lot of FOMO? Yup. It’s a huge part of our culture, our lives, and our entertainment. But I am also hopeful that on the other side of this year is something beyond my wildest imagination. I don’t know what God has in store, but I do know this is the first step to something He’s calling me to. Thanks for coming along on this journey friends, ya’ll are a gift!
