Haley, thanks for sharing a couple different essays about leaving Instagram. Especially the Born of Wonder one. I found myself nodding along with every word. I realized over a year ago now that if a life event wasn’t captured or in some way alluded to on social media, it was like it was invalid or unfinished in some way. (Pics or it didn’t happen). And no wonder. I’ve been logged in since 2012, pretty much, and every significant event of my life since high school graduation (along with a ton of events not that signifiant) have shown up on the ‘gram. I read these essays and finally took the plunge. I want my brain back. I want to read more and really sink in to a challenging book. I want my kids to see less scrolling. I want to make photo albums. I want to keep in touch with dear friends in a more thoughtful, intentional way. I want to spend online time more fruitfully (Substack, or excellent food blogs, or Goodreads). I want to make peace with the fact that I cannot keep and capture everything and it’s futile to try, and it’s the Lord who holds all things together. In short, goodbye Facebook and Instagram, I have a life to live!
(I’m aware this probably sounds so silly to anyone who’s not a Millennial woman, but the addiction, the hold these apps have on us, is real!)
Jessica, I'm so glad they were valuable to read! It seems those essays circulating have had similar effects. The stories of discontent and ill-ease people are finding with social media is coming in wave after wave. There's no shame in realizing we want to practice & model more life-giving ways of using the internet for our kids and those younger. Thanks for sharing your brief thoughts (beautifully, I might add!) I look forward to reading anything you write in the future. *And I was chuffed to read this comment of yours after I asked about your life update alluded to in a GoodReads review. It seems rebellious to not make The Instagram Post about moving across the ocean. haha. Cheers to life lived more thoughtfully and freely.
I know right?? I can’t believe I did that but: guess what? A month later, I forget Instagram even exists. We’re getting settled in our new life and it’s great. Instead of checking for likes I need to check for weeds in my new tiny garden.
Thanks so much! I look forward to writing sometime in the future. 😉
I know that turtle! As a Madisonian, what a lovely surprise to realize these thoughts and notes I enjoy reading are from someone I could run into in my regular life. I love that. Thanks for sharing!
I discovered Autumn’s podcast in the beginning of the year and did the same thing! I love how concise her episodes are--not too chatty, and she gets straight to the point. I love listening to them.
Man that theotokos poster is beautiful, it would be quite the challenge for me not to argue that the baby is not Jesus and therefore a 2CV. Regardless, compelling to look at
That little guy has certainly entered the Cute Baby Hair phase.
Glad you enjoyed it. There's a lot of wonderful writing out there in that genre on tech use.... but that one was great. I love how everyone has their own background... their own "whys"... and their own circumstances to bring to the table of those conversations.
As I'm sure you do, too, when it comes to dumbphone or not! :)
Haley, thanks for sharing a couple different essays about leaving Instagram. Especially the Born of Wonder one. I found myself nodding along with every word. I realized over a year ago now that if a life event wasn’t captured or in some way alluded to on social media, it was like it was invalid or unfinished in some way. (Pics or it didn’t happen). And no wonder. I’ve been logged in since 2012, pretty much, and every significant event of my life since high school graduation (along with a ton of events not that signifiant) have shown up on the ‘gram. I read these essays and finally took the plunge. I want my brain back. I want to read more and really sink in to a challenging book. I want my kids to see less scrolling. I want to make photo albums. I want to keep in touch with dear friends in a more thoughtful, intentional way. I want to spend online time more fruitfully (Substack, or excellent food blogs, or Goodreads). I want to make peace with the fact that I cannot keep and capture everything and it’s futile to try, and it’s the Lord who holds all things together. In short, goodbye Facebook and Instagram, I have a life to live!
(I’m aware this probably sounds so silly to anyone who’s not a Millennial woman, but the addiction, the hold these apps have on us, is real!)
Jessica, I'm so glad they were valuable to read! It seems those essays circulating have had similar effects. The stories of discontent and ill-ease people are finding with social media is coming in wave after wave. There's no shame in realizing we want to practice & model more life-giving ways of using the internet for our kids and those younger. Thanks for sharing your brief thoughts (beautifully, I might add!) I look forward to reading anything you write in the future. *And I was chuffed to read this comment of yours after I asked about your life update alluded to in a GoodReads review. It seems rebellious to not make The Instagram Post about moving across the ocean. haha. Cheers to life lived more thoughtfully and freely.
I know right?? I can’t believe I did that but: guess what? A month later, I forget Instagram even exists. We’re getting settled in our new life and it’s great. Instead of checking for likes I need to check for weeds in my new tiny garden.
Thanks so much! I look forward to writing sometime in the future. 😉
I know that turtle! As a Madisonian, what a lovely surprise to realize these thoughts and notes I enjoy reading are from someone I could run into in my regular life. I love that. Thanks for sharing!
How fun! We live a little ways south of Madison, but this was our first time going there for the zoo. :)
I discovered Autumn’s podcast in the beginning of the year and did the same thing! I love how concise her episodes are--not too chatty, and she gets straight to the point. I love listening to them.
Nice - Exactly why I love her! I will be working through her YouTube video versions of her chats, but I think it's mostly the same content.
Man that theotokos poster is beautiful, it would be quite the challenge for me not to argue that the baby is not Jesus and therefore a 2CV. Regardless, compelling to look at
I'll be at the FPR conference, too, Haley! Although it is rather more than an hour from me...and my front porch is tiny.
Wonderful! I love how a niche conference such this was *bound* to attract people from some of my favorite spheres on the internet. :)
That little guy has certainly entered the Cute Baby Hair phase.
Glad you enjoyed it. There's a lot of wonderful writing out there in that genre on tech use.... but that one was great. I love how everyone has their own background... their own "whys"... and their own circumstances to bring to the table of those conversations.
As I'm sure you do, too, when it comes to dumbphone or not! :)