the one relationship I can't escape

I have an on-again, off-again relationship with social media.

I posted less than once a year on Instagram and barely used Snapchat. I was a zombie, endlessly scrolling through content I didn’t need.

Social media was a delicious cheesecake, sitting eye level in the fridge. Temptation overpowered me whenever I saw it. I caved in too often.

But a reality check hit me when I began reading for fun at the end of 2019. The romanticist in me discovered that social media was a puppeteer controlling me.

I didn’t need that destructiveness in my life.

So, I took a break. I spent 30 days in an intense detox.

And that adventure became the first book I wrote. (But I never pursued a second draft)

I felt alive. I felt free.

But it didn’t last long.

Because after 30 days, I threw everything in the trash and hopped back on the social media train.

My daily screen time skyrocketed again. I scrolled, scrolled, scrolled away on Instagram. I traded in hours of my days for small doses of enjoyment.

It wasn’t worth it. I wanted to stop again…

Then I wrote my book, and it needed marketing. I added on to my list of problems instead of taking another hiatus.

​I created a Twitter account.​

I figured I’d post a few times a week, grow a small following, then sell thousands of book copies.

But that never happened. I spent more time scrolling through tweets than focusing on my own.

I posted only a handful of tweets over a few weeks and grew to a whopping 37 followers…

Not quite the success I expected.

I failed because I didn’t put in the effort. I assumed I’d easily connect with thousands of people and send my book flying off the shelves.

My failure opened another door for me to escape social media’s toxic allure.

Two months later, I deleted my Instagram and Snapchat accounts. And I signed out of my Twitter account.

Deleting social media was a step up from “just taking a break.”

I spent the last year and a half away in a world without social media. I kept telling myself that life was better this way.

But I was wrong.

Big time.

See, social media could be a cruel, toxic place. It could be if…

You use it the wrong way. Like I did.

Since my experience was more negative than positive, I labeled all of social media as harmful and toxic.

But there’s a beautiful side to it that I overlooked...

It is an extraordinary social web, connecting you with people worldwide.

Being isolated from social media didn't give me an advantage over others. It held me back because I missed out on some incredible connections that could have been made.

So, despite my rocky relationship with social media, I’ve decided to hop on the train again.

I’m taking small steps, and I’ll only be on Twitter. (I find this platform best for me as a writer).

I’m choosing to focus my account on my current career goals.

Despite being a math major, I’m working on starting a career in marketing as a copywriter.

So, I will use Twitter to document my journey and connect with wonderful people – like you.

The biggest issue I’ve faced in this career transition is accountability. It’s easy to give up when no one tells you to keep going.

Actively posting what I learn, my progress, and the new stories I discover will help keep me accountable.

Even if no one likes my tweets or if no one follows me, it doesn’t matter.

I’m going to start using social media the right way – as a way to network.

You may not like what I tweet. You might find it boring. You might think I’m trying too hard.

But you know what, I will do this anyways. I’ve always feared judgment when it came to posting on social media. But there is nothing to fear.

If someone doesn’t like my tweets, boo who. I’ll just post something better. I can’t try to please everyone. But I can try to please those who listen.

So, I hope you join me on this journey and show support along the way.

​The link to my account is right here. If you believe in me, follow or share it. If you don’t want to be bored by my tweets, then miss out.

I understand.