On a previous article I talked about the advantages of having your own website, and the subsequent disadvantages of relying solely on social media. Today I am taking it a step further. I am taking a break from social media, altogether. Why? At this point of my life and my career, they do more harm than good. And since I have been flirting with the idea for many years now, be prepared for a long rant!
1) I feel too much pressure
I don’t even spend considerable time on social media (my artistic ones, I don’t even have a personal instagram), I mostly use them as a “catalog”, to showcase my work. Also I am an accomplished grown-up woman, who doesn’t need compliments or recognition. (Of course my ego could do with the occasional compliment, but that’s another story!) And still, Social media get to me sometimes, still I feel the pressure to create, only to feed someone else’s … well, feed! (And if social media can do this to me, I just cannot imagine what impact they can have to younger people)
2) I don’t create what I want
As mentioned, I feel pressure to create what others ”want”, not what I want. It happens subconsciously, but it still happens. I often find myself creating what is ”trendy”, what people ”demand”, what the algorithm supposedly favors. Which is absurd and this is not the way art should be.
3) My progress has plateaued
I haven’t really progressed as an artist the last years. Because I am afraid to experiment (and show to the world that I can make mistakes), I am afraid to get out of my comfort zone (because the result might not be ”liked” so much) and I am afraid to devote time to new skills (because time is precious and I need to post constantly, right??). Do you get what I mean? Social media is killing my creativity and I declare war. No more!
4) I am constantly disappointed or sad
When I scroll down my feed, I always feel either disappointed or sad. Because I am inevitably comparing myself to others, to the most talented people in the field. I know that this is a personal issue, but the fact remains that I cannot shake this feeling. And since I firmly believe that everyone is different, and we all have something unique to offer to the world, I want to feel my happy self again and create art with no distractions and/or limitations.
5) Time is precious
Social media apps are built so that you spend the maximum amount of time possible. They are designed this way. And the worst is that this time is not productive, real inspiration is super rare on social media. Most of the time, you just scroll down your feed absentmindly (and between us, most posts feel like spam nowadays, right?!).
So, yeah people, starting today I am taking a break from social media. I have already deleted all social media apps form my iphone. I haven’t deleted my accounts, just in case I get an important message etc, but I will no longer bother with them. Instead, I will spend time finding my long-lost artistic self, revamping my portfolio, and maybe learning something completely new, something like animation or 3D sculpting, which I always dreamt of getting involved with.
And what happens next? Let’s say that I plan to spend more time on this little, crazy place right here I call my website! The only social medium I’m gonna keep is youtube, for sharing tutorials, and because you can’t really share videos any other way.
That’s all friends! Off I go now, to begin my new journey!
