6 Months Without Social Media As A Gen Z
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- Опубліковано 11 жов 2021
- I deleted social media 6 months ago, and it changed my life. This isn't some joke of a self-improvement tip, it really made a difference to my quality of life. I discuss how my mental health improved, how I gained real friends, how I have become more productive and picked up the habit of reading again and became a better and happier person. As a genz, we could all use some time off tiktok and out with making real life connections and I hope this encourages you to do so.
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WHO AM I :
Age: 23🎂
Where are you from?: Scotland 🌍
What did you study?: French, Spanish and Translation 🥐
Fun fact about me: I've lived in... the UK, Spain, France, Italy and the US !
#socialmedia #deletingsocialmedia #genz
Quitting social media made me realize that our short attention span problem is actually caused by it. The popular social medias are known for chunks of information served in partial bite-sized pieces, no wonder we're so full of anxiety and misinformation
Me too! I used to be able to sit down and read a whole 500 page book in one sitting maybe with a bathroom and food break. Now when I tried to read I couldn’t even get through a few pages without thinking about something else, picking up my phone or getting distracted some other way
@@lunaas1029 books? Sometimes i can't even cocentrate on longer videos 🤣
There was a time when i was like "aw man, 9 minutes? That's too long!", but thankfully since now i'm more into youtube that problem is slowly getting fixed. Hopefully watching documentaries (i've finished the social dilemma! Yay) and reading books will be next for me 👌
agreed. and it's not helping that the tik tok algorithm is convincing everyone (including myself) that we all have adhd
@@emilyholmes9058 right it has me thinking if it’s even actually adhd or just our social media addictions fucking up our attention span!
Yes. Try getting an uninformed social media obsessed person to believe it could be harmful to their mental health.
yes!! social media makes you think you care about everything when really you're just overexposed to everything and overwhelmed.
This is it for me right here... when I tell everyone that I can care less to get on there. Deleted for 5 months now!
Yea true ive deleted instagram for almost a year now but i went on to utube/utube shorts this has made me so anxious now....i will from this day delete utube as well 🙂 hoping to be better in coming days❤️
Haven’t had social media in over 3 years now. As a 24 year old woman, one of the best decisions I ever made.
in that case, how do u cope with trying to find new people in the dating scene. I would imagine its harder since finding someone who doesn't use it would be practically impossible, its literally the first thing they ask for before even asking where you live.
@@akhay3348 I’ve actually become way more successful in dating because I don’t feel so anxious anymore. I’ve dated more people organically than I ever have using social media. It weeds things out in a way that makes it a lot easier to date. Still single but by choice! Meeting someone at a coffee shop or bonding over a hobby works like a charm.
Love that for you. Need to get on that
damn!! me too! im already 29........... im a guy........ but I quit social media... im just using dummy hehehhe
@@akhay3348 Who cares if they use it, what does that have to do with you? You can exchange numbers, and if they don’t want to then move on to someone else. There are many ways of meeting people in the real world, like just walking down the street. You must be very young.
I grew up with books and playgrounds. No phone, no internet, no social media until I was 13/14. The years before feel sooo slow, I really LIVED day to day without spending my time excessively on Instagram and co.
Can‘t imagine how many kids are prolly addicted to Tiktok at 6 years nowadays :(
RIGHT
i wish i was born in a time without social media
Im 12 and I just deleted TikTok and I've read 2 books in 3 days :) I'm feeling much better and I played outside today
@@DishonorableMentions452 omg that’s great!! I’m 14 and I did the same with all my social media even Snapchat, life has been so much better
@@supercoolpersonn great:D keep going!!
since quitting, ive noticed how long the days last.
weeks used to fly by. but now that im more present, it feels as though theres so many things i can do in a day; because there really is. i feel like im living again.
I have not been on instagram for about 3 weeks now. I agree with you...I really look up to older generations and just their ability to be present. I secretly hope one day social media goes away and "real life" is trending...Your video is inspiring! I am going to keep going :)
I totally agree!
my grandma have such a bad adiction to WhatsApp that is insane, she went visit my mom (for 3 weeks) and I turned off the wifi a couple of times and just pretended we had an internet problem. She visit my mom 1 time per year and instead of talking to my mom she was talking to people on WhatsApp.
When she is at home, instead of talking to people around her she is talking to my mom on WhatsApp. How crazy is that?!
yesss! also deleted it 1 or two weeks ago, inspired by my cousin (we're doing it for 6 months, then I'll see if I want to incorporate it into my life again, but not as excessive, maybe as a tool to spread my art....)! I could be on there for HOURS, which I now want to invest into studying, figuring out what I want to do, and draw & paint! I wish you the best on your journey, we've got this!
Totally wish that tooo !!!!
Guuuuuurl I wish you could have seen life before social media. Life was more meaningful. Family gatherings were more personal. We actually conversed. It was such beautiful times.
I was scared I would lose contact with my friends when I moved out of state and I sheepishly told them “hey guys I’m really sorry but I’m deleting Instagram, could we maybe make a text message group chat so I still have a way to contact you? :(“ and I guess I genuinely didn’t expect them to ever use that group chat. But now its out main group chat that we use every day and it made me realize that they really are great friends who were willing to do that for me :) now I’ve been social media free since may!!
Hii, any updates now? just curious
update?
I had the same experience and it’s now also our main chat where we talk almost every day :)
Tiktok drags your mental health to the rock bottom, I've been feeling a lot better since deleting it.
fact.
Factsss
True that, I am grateful that I don't even have one. Amen.
literally. I deleted it and feel so much better
Straight fact
i remember subscribing right after your video about deleting social media, i can't believe it's already been six months! i deleted instagram more than a year ago and it's been the best decision. i hate how "important" social media are today, when i tell people i meet at uni i don't have instagram they are almost shocked. to me, it feels much better this way. great video lucy and love from italy ! x
Wow, happy 6 months to you haah! We aren’t alone on this journey 😅 so happy to hear you’re benefiting from the time offline
Same ☺️
Same here ! I've been in uni for only a month, but I can clearly see how all my classmates are on their phones on every break ! Plus, a few people came at me asking for my snapchat and when I told them I don't have social media they just gave me an awkward look and left... it's quite sad :(
@@abi_rff it is :( i hope you'll find your people, we're not weird for choosing to live in the moment and not online !
@@littlew0men you’re so sweet, what an angel ! Thank you so much hihi 🤎
What I‘ve really noticed when deleting Social Media is that you value Social interactions way higher and also get better in them
so true!
this is a very good point
I noticed this too! I interact more genuinely now.
Definitely true. It takes much more value
Aka you have to try at being wise
My teacher always says that people need to read books , draw, sing , dance because this is how mind can be more productive and learn how to think 💐😇
Agreed, and actually talk to folks who you love and be present 💝
Consuming social media for me just made me feel like a waste man and I could NOT get anything done. Hours a day were wasted scrolling, but not creating. That’s where the problem was :/
FOMO is a huge reason I’m sure a lot of people don’t want to delete it, but you realize you’re worried about missing out on things that don’t really matter.
You’re very right about the friends aspect though, I thought I would lose friends, but if anything, my existing friends are closer now that I don’t waste time on “social media friends” anymore!
Great video Lucy 😊
Vitality on the internet lasts 5 minutes so trends die quickly anyway, I think this makes the idea of FOMO easier! Glad to hear you’re enjoying your time offline Evan😅!
Did you ever hear of the term •JOMO•? It means JOY of missing out and I really love the idea of it. It doesn’t matter what everyone else is doing with their life, just enjoy yours!!
The internet is designed to ‘over’load and ‘over’stimulate ur brain with info so that u keep wanting more and come back to it, u r not rly missing out on anything important if you leave
I’ve felt the same way as a mom of 4 and had to reevaluate where my main purpose is. Definitely not for people I’ll never meet.
@@kenzyaggour864 its the social media feedback loop thats most addictive because it's exploiting a vulnerability in our psychology
I tried deleting social media completely and just found it actually made my life more inconvenient. It’s how people at work communicated about switching shifts, how people invite you to events…I added it back and just check what I need to and get off of it. I loved what you said about digital minimalism; in moderation it can be helpful and too much is harmful! You don’t need to choose between 10 cups of coffee and no coffee… you can have one cup of coffee lol it’s not all or nothing. thanks for your video!
Aw yeah, it has pros/cons to live without social media, but... I quit Fb and I don't have insta, snap etc etc, what works for me for communicating w/friends,family and coworkers is WhatsApp.
And... A tip for not feeling so anxious after quitting social media is doing other things in "real" life, like exercise, meditation, socialize in real life with the people you live with, whatever you like to do.
Exactly!!!! I'm thinking the same, we just have to control ourselves to use it with purpose and control, because it's useful, I get information from my friends about university stuff etc ..it's impossible to cut this contact off, also everyone is busy so we can't really meet every time we want to say smth to each other
That's what's hard is you don't get info from family and friends because they post it on fb so then you feel isolated and miss literally everything including health stuff and I hate that of you don't have fb then you don't get that info so it's hard.. Also my kids schools post info on there so ya it's like your stuck lol I got off fb for 9 full months untill school started then I had to get back on and at first I did really good but now I'm back to scrolling and scrolling lol 🤦🏻♀️
This is what I've been doing lately for the first time ever. I dont have the apps but on occasion I've been checking them on the websites for like 5 minutes a day MAX. I'm still working on tik tok tho lol
COMPLETELY AGREE. realistically one could not function in this world anymore with absolutely 0 social media. however using less is far more important
I deleted Instagram almost a year ago. I was struggling thoroughly with my self steem. I think it has been the best decision I've made so far.
I started reading too and I discovered that is so fulfilling!
Great video Lucyyy
You can do it!
So did I, the only one difficult part is the anxiety for the first 2-3 days, then you'll feel like the meme: *“finally, inner peace”* because of the time it used to stole you before.
@@erichschl I recommend also taking cold showers daily. I know it may sound like it has absolutely nothing to do with social media, but it did wonders for me. If you regularly face an uncomfortable activity, it builds your tolerance to discomfort
Same. Instagram was the worst one for me when it came to self esteem
honestly sometimes people make me feel weird for not having social media. deleting social media has been the best thing for me. i feel as tho people look at me as a 'loser' or 'not allowed social media' but deleting social media has been the best. i text my closest friends and i feel at peace knowing i don't have to worry about someone leaving me on 'delivered' or 'opened' or 'they didn'tlike my picture' & all that. i feel at peace & it's the best feeling.
My life without social media seems so very light , calm and peaceful and really that was before. And I am really into it now , I do have Facebook but on private coz' I spread only which is relevant stuff. And, it is better to stop using it. Bring back the days that embraced life.
The Prayers, Plants, Nature's, Books, Moon, stars , sunrises and Sunsetting. Breathing, enjoying coffee, good music, happy faces, genuine people, pure love, good soul. The universe will surely smile seeing us and so God will rejoice in all of us. 🙂
great video! as someone who makes a living on social media, its totally hard to turn it off. I am very envious of your journey with it!
At least you are using social media as a way to make a living, means it isn’t using you!
Hi @Humphrey Yang, did you end up making a 2nd account work related account? I'm at that point now where I do make a living on some aspects like freelancing and some selling in social media but they are all using one account. I'm seriously considering turning off my personal one and just having a work related one long term.
I don't make a living off social media, but I do create content for it, and I have this same exact issue and I hate it
I only ever had UA-cam because of fears and anxieties I had over other platforms. I was in middle school when Facebook got big and I already had a friend saying she wouldn’t invite me to things if I didn’t have one. Ha. I’m glad I felt that way as a kid and ever since. UA-cam has always been my home. 🖤✨
This is sad but true .. great work
i got rid of social media starting almost a year ago and now i'm gearing up to get rid of my smartphone too! very exciting and i love being off social media but i can't say i'm super productive lol it's so hard to get my brain to engage in anything practical or productive.
Good job!
I wanna do it too but the cool aesthetic books and some good pages and comic pages prevent me from it 😭😭😭 any tips?
@秋 seasons 🍁🍂 and try new hobbies! i didn't know what to do with myself after i first deleted everything but then i started making pottery, jewelry, rollerskating, and biking. i just started picking up a bunch of hobbies! :)
I got rid of my smartphone for 6 months then switch back to it. Not because I needed it, because it was a very useful tool but came with a lot of distractions. The new 4G feature phones that come with Kai OS is a good concept but poor execution by giving features phone smartphones like abilities. Slow and clucky is my main gripe about it sadly.
I sold my Moto G7 for 6 months and got myself a Blu V50 after those 6 months, not a bad phone nor a good one. Honestly it's right for me because it can't do much in the first place. Best part I recently got myself a 10th gen Kindle Paperwhite and a Samsung Galaxy Tab a7 Lite that mainly for reading Comics/Books and it's a lifesaver! I also use it for podcasts and "Scary stories" which I enjoy! Its like a own personal world without all the bullshit that comes with social media.
You might have adhd , the brain is seeking dopamine and this you can’twill yourself into focusing on what you want/ are interested in
After watching "The Social Dilemma" it opened my eyes to the world of social media and how toxic and destructive it can be if you don't have self-control. I also don't use social media and I can honestly say that it is life changing!!🍈
I'm a Christian and I decided to do a month long fast from Instagram, and it was great. I went back on and quickly got obsessed again, but then one day I was on the explore page like always and I just felt... sick. I actually found myself cringing and wanting to just avert my eyes from it. So I finally decided to just delete it all together, and praise God I did because it feels great!
Im happy that you’re happier without it😊
It's actually mind-boggling how most of us went through the same phase. For real!
Quitting, then feeling the pull back to open your apps in like first 3 days. Then you felt fine after no social medias for a month, and when you got curious and try to open it, you actually realize you can't stand them!
After all those stages then you're finally content with living without social media
Praise the Lord!
Social media can definitely make our daily lives less fulfilling and empty. I have been off social media for almost 2 years now and I have to say that the results have been wonderful. No snapchat, tik tok, instagram, facebook, etc. The next beast is surely youtube.
Jase Robertson once said (paraphrasing) that if you spend more time on your phone than reading the Bible, something has to change!
What does religion has to do with this
@@Xbk677 the word "fast" has multiple meaning. Fasting can mean fasting from food for dietary reasons, like you don't eat from a certain time to a certain time. In religious spaces like Christianity, fasting is for religious reasons. We can fast from food and also things like social media. I think religion was mentioned to distinguish the fact that this was religious fast and not to confuse people with the dieting term fast.
I wasn’t actually allowed to get social media and I used to be angry at my parents because I was one of the only people at school without it, but now I’m glad. I can see from people around me how socially media negatively affects you and the problems it causes, and I’m so glad that I’m away from all of that.
What kind of negative impacts have you observed it having on people?🤔
@@liadanryan-gerhardt7189 I know girls who have become really insecure since using social media to the point where they developed eating disorders, became cyber bullied and some even suicidal. I know a lot of people who got cyber bullied actually. I had a friend who used to be really nice but after she started frequently using social media she became really insecure and projected that by being really mean to others about the things she was insecure about (mainly weight). Those are just a few examples, and it doesn’t negatively affect all people but from what I have seen it does change some people
Sometimes parents are right about things we don't want them to be. Some kids grow up and understand where the parents were coming from, others rebel and I'm curious what causes rebelling against vs adopting our parents' advice.
I'm not allowed to have social media either..I only have you tube. This has helped me so much!! I realize I'm not the only one!!!!
@@ashlyn4954 yeah I get you, I sometimes feel excluded but overall I’m glad that I don’t
The problem is, it's not just social media, it's youtube as well. I find myself scrolling and watching viodes all day without getting out of bed. I find myself feeling terrible after doing this, and this has affected my life to a degree that I cannot take anymore. I find that I'm not involved in my things, etc. Thank you for making this video. I have also been contemplating getting rid of the apps that I have been wasting time on. Hopefully, when I finish getting off social media, I will use it wisely again.
I see your point yeah :) You got this!
i quit social media for a month and highly recommend it! very beneficial, i made a video about it (:
As someone who also does not use social media, I was coerced into using TikTok for a few weeks and the addiction was horrific! I was on it all day every day! Glad I got rid of it. It’s designed to keep you on as much as possible.
like seriously i hate those who text rude msg to anyone else without knowing anything even on social media everyone wants to be a cool by hating giving rude reply as they think that will make them turn into a bad bitch and those words that keep lingering on minds is all bcoz of social media umm glad to u for posting these things it made me encouraged💜thanks to uuu lucy
It is SO GREAT hearing younger people talk about mental health and social media!! Lucy Allan, your self-awareness and personal growth is really encouraging to see 👍
thanks justin :)
I realised that life was so much more fun, slow and beautiful when my dad took me out last month on my birthday to his old college and the area he used to live in when he first met my mom. He took me to such beautiful places and told me so much stories about what he used to do back in the day. I thought to myself and said, do I have any stories like these? What will I remember out of a temporary life that lasts only a few years when all I do is care about what people think of me because of social media. Also it’s funny when I think to myself, what stories will I tell my children?
Social media has never benefited me and I’m saying this out of experience. After I left it for a while, things finally started to feel real. I wasn’t only surviving but I was actually living. I’m spending more time with my family too because my time to talk with them is only limited and I can’t stand having more regrets because of social media. Turns out I never needed to know what a celebrity ‘eats for a day’ or ‘how I got an hourglass body’ videos because once I left it my body felt healthy because I was moving it and I was too busy enjoying my life I never even realised how much I’ve changed in a few days. My body, my hair, my skin, my social skills and even my grades.
I was so worried I would regret deleting it but turns out I was too busy being exposed to the real world that I couldn’t care to even go back to it. So so so so much advantages and doors opened after I gave up social media and minimised the amount of time I spend on my phone.
I recommend it 100%. Don’t look back.
Beautiful comment
Our parents carry beautiful memories with them, where as i can't even remember what i watched yesterday in Tiktok😂, forget telling stories from memory.
I stopped posting on social media about 5 years ago and I’ve found I love my pictures a lot more because I’m not spending ages making them look perfect, just taking them to capture a moment.
Love this! “At the end of the day, all you’re doing is deleting a couple apps,” it really is so much more simple than we make it.
omg, true! i quit social media for a month and made a video about it, by the way, if you feel like checking it out (:
I deleted social media 7 months ago thanks to this video, and I can 100% say my life has been so much better!
I am so glad Oliver!
So my issue is that I have no problem not using instagram, snapchat etc. My real issue is staying off of youtube and off of netflix. I have a lot of time now but usually I feel tired and I end up laying in bed watching youtube and netflix as a sort of 'relaxation'. Although I wish to use that time to go out and do hobbies or be productive. So really my question is, how to get motivated to study? How do I motivate myself to get out and not be lazy?
Motivation is hard. Sometimes you just have to force yourself to get up and do it. Then it becomes easier. Starting something new is the hardest part. Sounds like you may need to give up TV/videos for a little while!
Plan it, love it, and see for yourself
Hey, another way of looking at this is maybe you need a rest. I used to really beat myself up for how much netflix I watched when I thought “should have been studying” or doing something else. Now when I look back I realise I had really unrealistic expectations for how motivated I should be and how much studying I should have been doing. I think all that “procrastination” was actually just me getting the rest I need. (Obviously this is just my personal experience. Sometimes you do need a little encouragement to do things that bring you more joy (like hobbies for example), and there might be better ways of resting (like being in nature rather than on netflix)). I’d just encourage you to be kind to yourself and be curious about what might be driving this “laziness”, rather than immediately seeing it as a problem and beating yourself up about it.
I have the same issue but what I found is that using netflix and youtube as a reward after you get a piece of work done makes u more motivated. For example, try starting to do your work as soon as you get home and once you either finish an assignment / task OR you start to procrastinate then u can take a break and reward yourself for doing so! Then you should be able to get work done! Also, for netflix you should pause between each episode or each youtube video rather than in the middle so that you dont feel like youre missing anything and its easier to stop
One of my friends taught me this trick: if you want to get up and do something (go on a walk, a swim, pick up a book), just think to yourself, "If I get there and I don't want to anymore, I can always just turn around and go home."
Most of the time, you'll be happy with moving and won't turn around :)
At the end of the day - I believe this:
- Social Media is a great tool if you use it to produce (instead of consume)
If you (behind this screen, yes you) improve yourself and create more will/discipline,
you can make wonders happen. My life massively shifted to being a producer that is present and happy.
This is kinda nice to hear, as someone who isn’t allowed to have insta I was worried I’d miss out or lose friends. but thank you for the reminder that if I need an app for them to be my friends, they aren’t actually good friends
Ty for this vid :)
No problem!!
I decided to deactivate my instagram account 5 months ago and haven't missed it once ever since. In fact I have felt more peace and less negativity towards myself and have more time to live in the "real world". People my age (I'm 21) ask me how I do it and I tell them it was easy when you realize how little social media actually does for you in the long run. I'm glad to see other people in this generation turn away from the norm of living vicariously through others on their phones and promote healthy social habits! This is the first video of yours I have seen and I will be subscribing! xx
I wish 'bigger' UA-camrs followed in your footsteps too. The positive influence then would be massive.
Let’s hope it happens 😊
4:33 reminded me strongly of Bo Burnhams quote: "If you can live a life without an audience, do it.". I suppose this is quite a challenge. :)
Very good video, good quality and content! Subscribed.
Well said!
lucy! i love how real you keep it, i’m off of social media too except youtube and it really has improved my mental health for the better(: something about deleting social media is that often we feel we are the only ones off the grid but in reality there’s so many likeminded individuals like us out there. can’t wait for your next upload(:
Absolutely! If you look at the comments of these videos there are so many of us out there… so encouraging to hear we aren’t alone🥰!! Thank you so much for the kind words, it really means a lot
@@LucyAlllan your reply made me so happy! peace and love(:
Hey! I have a question. I'm also trying to get off social media, except youtube. How much time do you spend on youtube (or even netflix)? Since I catch myself watching youtube or netflix a lot instead of being productive.
@@Lilly-hk6qn if you find yourself spending too much time but don't want to delete your accounts, limiting your screentime or using website blockers works for me! i will block it on my phone and my laptop for some hours of each day when i want to be productive. knowing they are blocked helps my brain think about things other than that + is easier for me to focus on being productive. that's what i do with social media lately and it has definitely helped me!
@@LucyAlllan oui vrai
Haven't used for 2 months n still going 💪
my parents took my social media over a year ago. i was soooo pissed at the time *cue air punching* but i actually think it’s been good for me. the only thing that sucks about it is communicating with friends. almost nobody gets phone numbers anymore, but it differentiates between the people who actually care to get to know you. you have no idea how many guys just ghost you after they don’t get the response they want to “snap?” and it’s really helpful to weed out all of the douchebags who just want to hook up. totally recommend detoxing, voluntary or not.
Grace, in case you don’t know, your parents likely did this because they love and care about you. Much easier as a parent to let you be on phone all day. Much harder, but better for your well being to stop you. Thank them some day!
“Snap?” is so weak. Lmao, this is why dating is becoming harder (from what I’m seeing). It’s the equivalent of “wyd?”An ex bf of mine use to say that all the time. It’s so boring and shows no effort.
through this whole year I’ve taken weekly to monthly breaks & gone back to social media because i thought i was ready. i started a longer break since September because i realized i wasn’t ready at all to be back on it & couldn’t create a healthy relationship with the time i spent on it. I’m planning to maybe come back next year but it has honestly changed my life i feel like im not constantly seeing other people’s life or putting myself down because someone’s internet life is more “productive” than mine
I am in TEARS! You have inspired me to make a significant change in my life. I am so sick of feeling so negative all the time when generally, I'm a positive person! I'm making this change. Starting with Tiktok & limiting my Facebook usage to only an hour a day. Only to keep up with extended family that uses that platform as a means to communicate with me :) You are an inspiration! & you have gained a sub. Cheers!
Thank you so much! You got this!
I dramatically reduced my social media usage about 9 months ago now. One of the best decisions I ever made. I had developed serious social anxiety trying to engage in activism online, and I felt better after just a few weeks. I didn’t give up on activism though - I just get my information from books and make my contributions in person.
I think the key thing is to take a realistic look at what you’re getting from social media and ask yourself if you can get that another way. Normally you can, and it often ends up being better than the social media version anyway
Loved the video! As a preteen, I decided to stop using Snapchat and TikTok and my life has been different ever since. I’m a teenager now and my perspective on life has grown and improved so much. I’ve found my passions, my idealized life, and good friends. It was especially hard for me to go through Covid without these two main social media apps, but I got through it, and I feel better, healthier, and happier. I’d definitely recommend for others to try this long-term social media detox too!
i havent been on social media since August and it feels great knowing that i'm no longer attached to my phone anymore. being on your phone for too long can be very draining and seeing too much of people's business can be addiciting.
well said Clarissa
You’re right there Clarissa. Not only can it be addicting but also very depressive thinking you aren’t doing nothing in yo life just watching others live their best of lives. Ima delete my socials and work on myself. Doing more of what makes me happy and a better person. Focus more on my own journey and do better with myself… Thanks so much for the video :)
@@learnwithmanuella1036 yes, you should. I have gotten back to my true passions which was reading and writing.
You literally look so much brighter and naturally happy. There's a sereine energy you're transmitting.
X
thanks oriane xx
Don‘t stop with the social media videos, i love them 😄
Hahaah I think now I’ve said everything I need to say but let’s see! Maybe at one year 😉
After I came across your youtube channel you helped me to make the final decision to delete all the social media. It's been 4 months and I don't miss anything about that. At this point my mental health matters more. I am more concentrated on my school work (I am not even in my class group chat on insta) . Some of my fake friends still to this day didn't even notice that I am off social media. Other than that I text my real friends every day. I am not ever going back to that toxic place. It's wonderful to catch up with your life lucy and thanks for sharing it! You are such a sweet and beautiful gal!
Im so happy to hear that you have deleted it and feel better!!! Keep it up, you got this😇
Except obviously UA-cam which is also social media, but the toxic part of UA-cam doesn't matter!
i deleted all of my social media too, i feel much lighter, less anxious and productive
i only have youtube bc sometimes it's very usefull
i love your videos! thank youuu!!!
💘💘🇧🇷
Im so happy you feel mentally better! If you get value out of UA-cam then you shouldn’t delete it😇
Just turned 25 a few days ago and I have been off social media for 2 years now. I just got back on IG but as a private account with no pics just to follow celebs and architecture pages and its honestly more freeing to me. I always enjoyed person interactions and now that I get that more from true friends who want to see me means lot. I value other things all over again like I did before I got on social media as a teenager. Its simply freeing knowing that I no longer have to give someone a "handle" to follow me who will never talk to me again. Love the video!
Something I did while I was on my Instagram break was read books on my phone, or even keep physical books in my bag. If I had downtime, like being in a line or something, I always had something to do that was productive. This video is a sign I have to delete it again. Since going back, I started taking selfie’s again. It’s definitely not healthy for me.
I’ve been off Instagram for 3 years and Facebook almost 10 years. Let me tell you I carry way more joy than the people around me. It’s insane. God is good 😊
nice!
Just starting this journey
Click this link to get a FREE 5 day trial and 20% OFF your annual subscription with Shortform. If you love reading, you're really going to love shortform : shortform.com/lucy
Yes, you are.!! Love from India.
Are you swedish?
@@saidhanin2409 description says its Scotland
this was massively helpful. Thanks for the nuanced perspective. I feel like a lot of videos like this promote an unrealistic goal to cut everything all the time which leaves the viewer feeling like they are weak-willed when they inevitably fail. This felt realistic and refreshing.
Glad it was helpful!
Love that you have made this video! :)
I deleted my accounts a month ago after having severe anxiety and addition to social media.
I had chest pains and racing thoughts and could not focus. after two weeks of coming off of social media the anxiety finally stopped and has not come back. I totally relate to everything you say about it deteriorating your mental health.
I am in my 30s and very lucky to probably be the last generation to have an entire childhood in the 90s and early 2000s where social media did not exist and neither did smartphones to create screen and social media addiction.
Wow. So sorry about what you went through. Glad you took the bold step for your mental health. Interesting to note the social media toxicity can affect all age groups engaging with it. I've read somewhere that the human brain is not wired or evolved to welcome a thousand thoughts and people into it at a time which is what social media technically does.
Personally, I've found some social media groups can feel like being in classroom again despite having graduated from that class long ago. This isn't healthy.
In my 30s too and have had my fair share of the social media toxicity😂. I can laugh now because I've healed. I still use it as I can't help it due to work purposes especially but I use it with a lot of strong boundaries. Privacy tools like blocking, and unfollow buttons are my good 'friends'😀. The idea of moderation and using it mindfully, and minimally is wise.
This is so true! Not being on social media gives you more time to do things you actually want to do. I am into reading a lot more and also feeling happier by living in the moment is helping me a lot!
I love what you said about noticing that we tend to hop on our phone when we have a break of a few minutes. I was thinking about that last week, my compulsion to pick up the phone or do something, anything, if I had a 5-minute break, say in between tasks while cooking. Or having a podcast on, something to devote my attention to. Last week I actually tried not to do that during those short breaks in the kitchen, and it felt good; like you said, I guess it felt more like the days before social media (I was in college when FB came out). It’s still a habit for me to break, but it’s good to recognize that I do it. I’ve seen videos about not only ditching social media but also switching to a flip phone, and the idea of both is intriguing. Not sure if I could actually do it, but I like the idea of trying to limit myself to only checking once per day. I certainly notice that I spend way too much time on the phone doing really nothing important or meaningful. Anyway, love this video, thank you for sharing!
I deleted my socials last year. I did it a few weeks before a big move. The most notable thing for me was the fact that every time we stopped to have a break (from moving heavy house things, sofas, cabinets etc) id sit down and INSTANTLY start trying to find an app to scroll through. It was eye opening that in the downtime between jobs, i felt the only way to spend my free time was to scroll through things i dont find interesting...
I soon after found a lot of joy with sitting in the sun with a glass of cold water listening to the birds. Bliss.
About the friend thing, i do wanna add though that it is a bit different with friends that live further away. Social Media can be an important way to communicate, and if that falls away and the friendship suffers under that, it does not have to mean that they weren't real friends - so i think the concern about that is sometimes really justified. Your video however is motivating me to delete all those apps that i really do not need to connect with others and that i tend to waste my time on...which quite honestly includes youtube as well, I'm glad i came across your video but i'd be kidding myself if i didn't admit that i only came here because i'm trying to procrastinate haha.
I would suggest getting their WhatsApp and calling them from time to time. As a traveller and someone currently living abroad, not having social media has not affected any friendships back home :)
@@LucyAlllan That's cool to hear that it works well for you even with long distance friendships! I have friends with whom that works as well, but i also have friends where social media just plays a more important role (even when i have their number). My point is more that friendships can be different, and the means in which you communicate or stay in touch doesn't have to be reflective of the quality :)
This has me inspired to try and cut down on my social media usage too. I can't afford to delete it altogether because of long distance friendships, but i am on it all way too much and it doesn't do me any favours. Cheers to you for doing this and talking about it!
Whohoooo
Let's go! Good job Lucy - loved seeing the expirement with my own eyes :)
whoho!!!
you speak right from my soul!
I started this journey three weeks ago and i absolutely love it! i can already feel so much difference.
so looking forward for what's coming next! :-)
Good luck for the future :) you got this!
I really like the term "digital minimalism" and the thought of using media to your advantage. I think with these phrases you expressed the whole thing very well
It's so refreshing to see someone my age who has taken the same decision regarding social media! I deleted all my accounts three years ago. I don't really miss it at all!
so happy to hear you feel good about it :)
I really loved this video. I deleted my Instagram nearly 4 years ago and it has been such a game changer. Real life is so much more fulfilling! Well done you! I hope your video inspires more people to evaluate their social media use and how much it is impacting their mental health💜
So good! ❤️
Just disabling notifications and removing the icons from your first page on your phone or bookmarks is actually a great way of cutting hours without going full on delete mode... I deleted instagram because for me it was just a scrolling time sink. I kept facebook because where I live lot's of cafés and clubs use it to post their events and information surrounding those events, but I've disabled facebook notifications and removed the app from my homescreen which makes me scroll it far less often than I would before.
Ive been off of social for a year. What you said about people filling empty minutes with their phones (for example while waiting for the bus) is one the the things that annoys me the most nowadays. It's just 5 minutes, why can't you just look around for five minutes??..
Exactly Ana!
Lucy your videos are brilliant & have helped me make sense of abstaining from socials my end. I think collectively there could be a movement pushing taking a break from social media more heavily to help people unlock life & fulfil their potentials. You have every chance of making that happen 💯
i deleted twitter, snapchat, facebook, and tik tok almost a year ago now and ive never felt better!! i love the term digital minimalism that you brought up because it so much nicer to have 1 or 2 platforms instead of 6 to check!! awesome video!
Love that!
As with anything, self control and moderation are part of the key to balance your life. I try to look for videos that will teach me something to further my skills so I'm more productive. It's very tempting to look at "stuff" that's sucks your time and energy and I definitely fall victim to that, but if used the right way it can be beneficial to you and everyone you interact with. Just giving my penny worth of input! No judgement whatsoever. Find balance in everything.
thank you so much for sharing your honest thoughts! I could relate to pretty much everything you said here-- especially about how you were considering going back, and how honestly it's not a straight uphill from the moment you delete. you adjust, and find new things to possibly fixate on. Lovely video as always!
Hey thank you so much Sophie!
It’s been about two months since I stepped away from the digital world and almost as soon as I did I realised how disconnected my peers were. It made me sad. People would rather scroll then engage with their friends and live in the moment. I may not understand most of the trends going around but I’m happy I guess haha
omg! i talk about the same thing on my latest video where i spent a month without social media, people just can’t live in the moment anymore! it’s truly very sad
Props to you! I am 15 almost 16 and I’ve been on social media since I was 10,and I wish i never downloaded TikTok but I’m too deep in to delete it,but i wish I didn’t. Having social media young is hard. I personally couldn’t delete anything bc I’m addicted,but i love how you incorporated this into your real life!
thanks for the video! I saw the first one you made and I live in this social media dilemma, sometimes I delete everything and sometimes I try to manage it and controll the screen time 🤷♀️ but I also struggled with social anxiety
losing my phone was unironically the best thing that ever happened to me, my social anxiety had went away and I read and learn about so much now.
This is such a great video! When my anxiety was really bad, I put my phone on silent for 6 months.
Love this! I deleted all social media for a year and loved it! Then I felt the same about UA-cam and got it again. I personally didn’t have any fomo because I was able to focus on my own life ❤️❤️
❤️❤️
You're amazing, Lucy. I'm more than glad you made the right choice, and that you're genuinely happy with yourself while living the rest of your life.
I hope you’re happy too!
So nice to hear your experience with this. It's amazing how easily we can get sucked too far into something for the wrong reasons when your intentions are good. I am a couple of days into a long break from Instagram and I look forward to the good results I know will come from that!
I'm not gen Z but spend so many mindless hours scrolling thru social media. Been trying to be more productive but find myself still in the rut of laying in bed staring at my phone as you mentioned. Your video made me think and wonder why I'm living like this?! There's so much more to life out there! Thanks for sharing your experience and perspective on this ☺
You are so welcome!
I’ve been trying out something new with my social media. Just deleted instagram off my phone (but still keeping my personal account active/not deleting it just in case) and only keeping the big “4” on my phone (Pinterest, Twitter, Tumblr, and UA-cam) just so I can kind of keep up with current news if I wanted to. I’m also trying to actively reduce my screen time on my phone so I can better study for my classes as well as trying to enjoy my hobbies again.
I’ve been using social media for a little over a decade now (started my first instagram at age 10, now I’m 21) and I’ve lost my teenage years to it. I don’t want to lose my twenties to it
Wow Anna, we really are on the same boat! Yes, you’re 20’s are for exploring the world and having fun with friends!!
I' m glad i am not the only one who stays off social media . Especially as i'm a teenager almost everyone of my age is on social media . But because of that i am a whole lot productive and i have tons of hobbies . And true fact about friends, those who are your REAL friends will find you and stay even if you are off social media . An inspiring video ! I hope this sets as an example of a still happy , wonderful life without social media.
This is great! I also did one for a youtube experiment and only did it for a month I guess. Looking back and comparing the situation I am in right now, limiting myself from social media is a big help especially for my mental health and career. I always try to compare myself and my journey in life and I always feel like I'm already missing out on something. Glad I found your video, I might as well limit myself in using it again! :)
hey thank you so much Mikaela!
such a great video. you really come across some great points and i wish our whole generation could watch this. i deleted tik tok because i was constantly comparing myself to the people on there and felt like i was never doing enough. i feel sooo much better and more in tune with the world. but, it’s weird being in highschool because a few of my friends will occasionally reference a tik tok and i had no idea what they’re talking about! 😅
I totally agree!
I’m a few days in with deleting my IG & FB … this is encouraging, refreshing and timely! ❤️ please keep it up
You got this!
I've been minimalizing on using social media for about six month since i watched your video about it. I'm making a good progress for months and i can feel how it affects my life positively, but this past couple months i'm kinda losing track of my progress and starting to waste too much time on my social media again. Thank you so much for this video, it reminds why i started this and why i need to get back to it and continue my progress.
My gosh! Having social media since 8 years old sounds kind of like a nightmare. I cherish my childhood memories of using my imagination whilst playing outdoors, loving to pour myself over books, and having tons of face-to-face time with friends. It's great you decided to get off of social media, as it is such a new addition to all of our lives. Genetically, we just haven't had enough time to adapt to the all-encompassing nature of the socials, which is why many people encounter addiction and mental health deterioration while using them. You are sticking to your guts and going back to what is natural for humans. Good for you!
I'm also 20 years old and I can testify that this vid is really true. I also had some times of relapsing on social media addiction, but I still do apply it and doing my best to stay committed with my growth
So happy to hear this! Self growth :)
I am so happy that you had been out of social media for half a year, out of that fake virtual reallity, that you had been so much productive learning how to do different things that bring you good dopamine and make you feel better with yourself and most importantly enjoying your time in real life. I love your content and I'm glad that you are happier since you quit those crap apps, love u🥰
Good job! Thank you so much
Sometimes I like to watch videos like this to give me motivation for less screen time. I’m grateful for your self-awareness and your dedication to making contact with reality! Also in a balanced way, without tending towards extremes. Thanks Lucy, hope you’re doing well
Love that!
About 4 months ago I watched your first video about it, and tbh I thought it was a bit crazy. Then I watched the other one about the detox, I saw my screen time and all the time I was spending on social medias and how it was affecting my mental health and guess what I decided to do the same for one week just to try and see how it would be. It was tough at first, but here I am almost one month without social medias. Thank you for these videos and sharing what you’ve been learning through, that’s a really good content and love from Brazil :)
Hey thank you so much Luana
I loved that book!!!! I actually recommended it to you on your first video! Im glad you read it and I am glad you are happy with your lifestyle!! Great video Lucy
Yay! Thank you!
So inspiring! Thank you for sharing. I am enjoying your new content about your travels
Ah thank you, so happy to hear that😇!!
This video is so detailed and awesome,I deleted tiktok today and I was scared that Im gonna download it again because it happened before and I dont trust myself when it comes to these situations,thank you so much for this Im not scared anymore at all💗💗
deleting social media was the best decision ever, your videos motivate me sm, love you loads
Ahhh thank you so much 😊
I came across you when you posted that video on deleting social media. I had been contemplating for the longest time about deleting social media and your video was my push. Since then oh my gosh! I’ve gained peace. It’s been so amazing. I read! I paint more! I sew more! I go outside for a lot of my day! It’s given me my life. So dramatic. I know, but it’s true for me. And just over the past month I’ve started a handmade ethical and sustainable clothing brand. In complete support of me my friends convinced me to start an Instagram for it. So I’ve had a business Instagram for the past 2ish weeks and just in the last week I’ve noticed how anxious it all makes me. Just social media in general. I am really loathing Instagram, but then again I guess it’s my perception, judgement and use of it. So now just navigating how to use it to not make me feel negatively. Like only going on it for 5 minutes a day or two when I post something. But the way it’s going I’m so tempted to delete it and just focus on other factors of my brand. Many things to think about and figure out. But overall, a life free of social media gives you reality back (for me at least haha)
Omg Im so happy to hear you are feeling better without it. It definitely helped my anxiety so I hope it helps other!
i deactivated my main account last week and can't even access my other one, and it feels so good. i feel WAY more present -- i don't think we're supposed to know so much information about everyone's lives you know what i mean? and like what they're liking, where they are 24/7, everything they're thinking, etc. etc. it just leads to information overload sometimes which makes us more anxious !!! anyway love the video so much !!!
I had a baby at 18 (4 years ago) and I got rid of all my social media’s when I fell pregnant. I made a new Facebook with about 150 friends because of keeping in touch with old school friends and family etc. I am certain I would be a truly different person, in a bad way, had I not made this choice. I am very present and I just focus on my own life and those who I love. I am glad I’m not up-to-date with current trends because like you say, I’d much rather be up-to-date with the real world! I would like to get rid of my iPhone and just buy a good camera for memories next. Well done on your journey!!
Thank you for doing this social experiment. I have been off and on with social media (especially Instagram) and after disconnecting from it, I really missed creating and gaining insight from other videographers. I decided to go back.. I think it's important to ask yourself why you feel the need to have the social media app and go from there. It's also important to follow accounts that are going to uplift you and benefit you in the long run (advice, self-help accounts, and like-minded people).
Thanks for sharing!
I've wanted to do this for so long and I'm glad this video showed up on my recommendations! I'll take it as a sign
Much respect for what you've done and your wise words. We know many people who keep saying they are going to quit social media but they never do; most of them don't even realize it is indeed a very brave decision that requires a great deal of determination and discipline. And not because they are addicted, but because they have grown up with it. It's all about learning to minimize the time spent on them and use it to our advantage in ways that can make us better.
I'll be honest. I don't know why I have it. I go through Instagram scrolling for like an hour. Not even looking at anything. Nothing interests me. Same with tiktok. Or anything else. But I still go on. Not sure why I have it or what I am actually supposed to do with it. I have it just to have it.
Same with me. I went without my phone for a day because it was broken, and it was so difficult and made me so anxious. Which is definitely the reason why I NEED to stop social media. I just got anxious about what I was missing out on!