6 Things I learned From a Social Media Detox
In December, at the height of the Winter Solstice and Saturn/Jupiter conjunction at 0 degrees Aquarius, I had a serious moment of quitting social media forever. I still don't agree with the amount of data collecting and mining of people's personal information. Privacy has always felt safe for me. Privacy of my own home, to be myself - booty shake, speak freely of my ideas, and have time away from microphones and cameras. The way things are these days, the smart phone, Alexa, laptops, tablet, and so much more can be on constant record. So, when is there time to be authentically you without having to perform?
If you're like me, you're in the understanding that the Internet of Things (IOT/ devices that connect to the internet) have been recording conversations, watching the moves you make on social media - pictures you like + save, the demographic of people you follow, how long you spend looking at that ad they flashed across your screen, etc. And I feel that it's just all too much for our minds and bodies to handle- stimulation overload!
After watching the Social Dilemma last year, it got me to thinking of this invasion of privacy and how I want to be just me. Not the person that is suppose to have a persona every time they post on social media, not to perform, and not to succumb to demands of being active on social media. Well, that led me to a social media free winter and I'll tell you, I haven't had this much space to rest, read and reset after a busy year in a long time.
"I haven't had this much space to rest, read and reset after a busy year in a long time."
So, as I was saying, I took a long nine week break this winter. I learned so many things about myself on the subtle level that began to detox, and some finally clicked for me this week when I entered back into the social media game. Here's what I learned -
I attracted effortlessly into my feminine energy! I was super surprised by this nugget of wholeness. After limiting my distractions I had more time to laser focus where I wanted my energy to flow. This meant that now I needed to bring people into Moon Rise Yoga's circle beyond social media. Here are two fun energies I attracted. 1) I called up my friend and yoga studio owner for a catch up and she eagerly wants to share Moon Rise's offerings with her circle AND offered me online teaching positions! 2) My 300 hour Yoga Teacher Training, Soul Work, sent an email offering her teachers to post online journals on her new Soul Work Journal page. With little effort on my end, and simply remaining open with a focus of energy in expansion, these opportunities came into my life.
Creative energy flowed through me and I was able to truly listen and become still this winter to hear what wanted to come through me. If social media was in front of me, I know I would have more distracted from this sacred cyclical process. This has also been my secret guide into allowing my business to grow naturally in the feminine cycles.
I gained more insight into my intuitive abilities. I am so sensitive and my subtle energy body does a really great job at sharing this information to me! I began to perceive the Greater Self, the auric chakra, as the antenna that alerts me to information I need to process. Then, my Inner Being takes that information by listening to the body's language and let's me know what's going on. An example of this - feeling my stomach cramp after being around someone, and later processing that their energy wasn't grounded and it affected my own body and mood.
I realized that picking up my phone is a separate addiction than just social media scrolling. As the first few days passed, I found myself wanting to be distracted in screen time, reaching for the phone may times, only to remember I had deleted the apps.
Social Media is a game and is a distraction from the natural world. As a person who wants to grow her business online, you have to be whole-heartedly committed to creating content just for social media. While also maintaining a website, events, and so much more on the other side of that. The game becomes something that you also need to DO in order to be authentic in style, content, and staying current with the algorithms. So, social media becomes an ON game all the time (hyper masculine patriarchy). When is there time to unplug (without losing momentum on social media algorithm sensors) and be ONE with the natural cycles surrounding me. I had continually felt pulled away from what matters most to me, the Earth and all of her abundant gifts, lessons and messages.
There is a huge balance to be learned + a way to create boundaries for use. As I make the conscious choice to enter back into the world of social media, I am taking precautions in what data can be collected. I have an old phone that I use to log into Instagram without any data on it, meaning no contacts, web browsing, pictures, personal info, etc. Since this is an extra phone that I do not have with me throughout the day my active time on social media is limited to ~20 minutes a day. This feels a lot more refreshing than what I was doing when the Instagram app was on my phone, where I would mind-less-ly pick up my phone because I was bored, creating a huge time waste!
Mind-full-ly I step back into the arena with a fresh approach and set boundaries. Truthfully, I missed the community of people sharing inspiring information and their art! After really tapping into my body's language and awareness system, I feel equipped to take on this extra energy and CREATE fun content for Moon Rise Yoga's authentic, cyclical journey.
Thanks for being here! If you're looking for support in how to step back into an effortless way of living through aligning with your own flow, reach out! We are all traversing these times of the internet's rise together. May we be well and supported from each other!
xo, Chelsey Breta