Well hello to you my reader chums! It's no secret that for years, like many of us, I've been obsessed with Instagram. I loved taking photos, sharing them on the gram, and putting every little thing on my story to broadcast to the world. It started to become a habit and turned into an unhealthy one as at the back of my mind, I would always be like 'ah I have no photos to put on Instagram.' That's when I realised, I didn't want to do that anymore.

If you're trying to spend less time on social media or feel weighed down by Instagram as a whole, here is what I've learnt about posting less on Instagram.

Nobody really cares

In the nicest possible way, nobody thinks about you and your life as much as you think of yours and can carry that weight of people's opinions of you. This is also true when it comes to all forms of social media including Instagram. Nobody cares if you post regularly, nobody cares if you post at all and I've learnt that by stepping away, previously I was trying to fulfill some non-existent expectation of staying active on Instagram and keeping up the image of 'having a fab life.' But, this wasn't necessary because I'm living a great life whether it's documented on the gram or not.

I don't need online validation

Online validation is definitely something I think many of us seek as it gives us all that short win feeling and a little boost in the day. It's a small boost that really helped me when I felt my most insecure, but that validating feeling can become addictive and really isn't healthy in the slightest. Stepping away, I've learnt I don't need online validation to feel whole or be satisfied with who I am and what my life is like.

To live in the moment more

When I was so caught up in trying to capture a photo or story for the gram, I sometimes didn't appreciate the moment fully as I was so fixated on making sure I showed it on Instagram. By not being so obsessed with taking photos, I could fully indulge myself in every moment and put my phone away. I've found myself loving life that little bit more as there was no pressure to ensure I capture it on camera. 

Instagram isn't important

I've always known how unimportant social media is as a whole compared to what matters most in life, however, I think our generation gets so caught up in its pressures, we often forget that. By not focusing on it so much, I realised that point even more and it's lifted a weight off my shoulders in a way.

Social media isn't real

This is something I always preach when I talk about all different topics including body confidence, not caring what people think of you, and mental health. Social media is something that influences all of us and it's a healthy thing knowing it is a highlight reel, and a place people only share the best parts of their life - and that's why we shouldn't compare. 

There are better ways to spend my time

I have so many big passions, so many things I love to do to which set my soul on fire and Instagram isn't one of them. I used to spend so much time finding the right picture, seeing how it matched with the feed, and thinking of a caption and now that time spent can be geared towards more important and exciting things.

I'm a lot more fulfilled with my life

Feeling fulfilled and satisfied in my day-to-day life is something I've been seeking all of my adulthood and my self-love journey had a huge part to play in finally reaching it, and stepping away from social media was the final step in that. By not having to seek validation online all the time for what I'm doing and how I'm looking, I can find that fulfillment within myself.

There are better social media platforms

I've worked in social media since I was 19 years old and throughout that time, my opinion on different social media has changed. Instagram used to be my favourite so much so it was an obsession. But now, I'm focused on platforms that bring me insight, knowledge, and inspiration. At the minute, I'm really enjoying LinkedIn and Tik Tok for many different reasons.

I hope you enjoyed this post. What are your thoughts?

Thank you for reading <3