Leaving Instagram in Favor of Long Form Content
My attention has been hijacked. My brain assaulted with input. Not the soft and grounding kind I desire, the kind that fills me with inspiration and the call to create, but frenzied, intense, pressurized. I’m confused about what I think, what I desire, who even am I? I don’t feel like myself at this moment. Lately, I have felt less and less like myself. Uninspired. Concerned with measuring up. Exposed. I’m bombarded with conflicting messages telling me what I “should” be doing. Chasing vanity over authenticity. I’m overwhelmed by the pace I’m forced to keep that goes against my natural rhythms completly. I’m no longer creating from my heart and soul because I honestly don’t even know where my heart and soul stand right now.
This is the way I feel after spending time on Instagram- doomscrolling- creating content, not art. How exactly will this help me build my art business when all of my time and mental energy goes to creating content instead of art?
I have used Instagram off and on over the years. Usually joining to utilize the platform for marketing when I have had a job or side hustle, then deactivating when the time comes to move on. This time I reactivated my account only a few weeks ago when I launched my art website, again for marketing because social media is crucial for success in business, especially if you’re an artist. That’s what we are told time and time again right? It’s a necessary evil. But I’ve come to the conclusion it’s actually impossible for me to be successful with Instagram, so what do I have to lose by leaving it and trying something different? Also, I really hate being told what to do and what not to do and will allow stubbornness to lead the way for me quite often or at least use it as kindling for the fire.
Not wanting to rush into anything, before swearing off the platform completely I took some time to sit quietly with my journal and really get down to the root of why I was leaving. In the past I have stayed the course with Instagram because I thought my aversion was rooted in the fear of being seen, putting myself out there, or being vulnerable online, which I definitely had to push through because I won’t let fear or weakness hold me back. Remember the stubborn thing? (I’m working on this shame mentality, but that’s a topic for another day.) What I found instead was that I’m not leaving out of the fear of visibility but out of honoring myself, my needs, and my values. I will continue to share myself online but instead of the fast paced and somewhat shallow rhythm of social media, I am choosing a deeper and slower path to connection which aligns with who I am and how I want to live.
To summarize, here are the reasons I’m leaving Instagram in favor of more long form content:
Instagram forces me to consume more than I create.
Social media encourages me to listen to the voices of others above trusting in my own wisdom and intuition.
Instagram is fast paced and promotes a hustle culture mindset which is antithetical to the slow and intentional life I try to live.
It dominates my time and attention. I waste valuable time that I could be using to fill my cup with wonder and beauty, but is instead draining the creative well of any spark or inspiration.
I value my privacy and a certain amount of anonymity in online spaces.
I would rather make fewer, deeper connections than thousands of surface level ones. Focusing on real life interactions and slower online spaces feels like the move to accomplish this.
I refuse to spend my time and efforts making money for a corrupt corporation that is only using me to line their own pockets.
don’t like the way it makes me feel or the person I become when I’m using it.
The bottom line is, social media no longer aligns with my values or my desires as a human or a business owner. So I’m leaving to focus on creating, writing, and forging authentic connections elsewhere. For right now, I am posting here on my blog and have also started a Substack hoping to tap into a new community. Be sure to subscribe to my newsletter here so you are able to stay in the loop once I deactivate my Instagram account for good.
If you are on Substack, feel free to follow along over there.