I deleted all social media apps from my phone. Here are 7 ways my life has changed since then.

It was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.

Hello~ Welcome back to A Joyful Life! THANK YOU so much for joining me here every Sunday.

Sometimes, I still can’t believe you *actually* open my emails to read about my thoughts, takeaways, and experiences every week. 

I hope these emails bring you as much joy and value as they do for me when I write them. 🫶

I’m sorry for being MIA last Sunday. 

The previous two weeks were a whirlwind for me—between packing, flying 20+ hours, adjusting to Taiwan, and working. 

Thank you so much for your understanding. And THANK YOU, Rose, for messaging to check if I was okay.

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I Deleted All Social Media Apps From My Phone. Here Are 7 Ways My Life Has Changed Since Then.

In 2016, I was glued to Instagram. 

Every free moment I had was spent:

→ Scrolling through the app

→ Taking pictures and stories of my day

→ Refreshing the app to check my likes, views, and comments

I didn’t have much of a life.

And I felt anxious, insecure, and unhappy 24/7.

Then, in 2020, I deleted all social media apps from my phone.

Turns out, it was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.

Here are seven ways my life has changed since then. 

#1 — I’ve had more time.

Social media is a time suck.

In the past, I spent an average of 2-3 hours every day on Instagram.

Now?

I spend 0 minutes on it lol.

As a result, I’ve had more time to:

→ Read (10 pages of a nonfiction book every day + the occasional fantasy/romance novel)

→ Learn (I complete courses from Coursera, Domestika, and other ones from creators)

→ Write! (At first, I wrote on Medium but now I only write on Substack + LinkedIn)

→ Take care of my health + fitness (I work out 4x per week and go on walks)

→ Do things that bring me joy (Play the piano, sing, cook, + watch Kdramas)

→ Spend with the people I love (My boyfriend, family, and friends)

→ *Build* my life instead of watching other people live theirs

Deleting social media has given me the time to build a life and a person I love and I’m proud of.

#2 — I’ve compared myself to others less.

When I was younger, I compared myself to everyone.

My face, my body, my relationships, and my career.

Social media exacerbated this habit.

So I often felt like I wasn’t enough and would never be *enough*.

But now, I feel content. With myself. With where I am. And with what I’m doing.

Because I’m no longer exposed to anyone’s highlight reels.

Deleting social media from your phone is one of *the* best things you can do if you’re struggling with your mental health. 

#3 — I’ve had more pockets of silence in my day.

“All of humanity’s problems stem from men’s inability to sit alone with their thoughts.” — Blaise Pascal

That was me. 

I hated silence. I couldn’t bear it because I didn’t want to listen to my thoughts. I was too afraid of what I’d hear.

So I filled up every second of my day with anything that’d distract me from myself. 

Often, the default was Instagram. 

I’d scroll the app while waiting for my coffee to brew. While standing in line at Tim Hortons. While waiting for my rest period to end at the gym.

But now, I’ve learned to look forward to moments of silence. Of space. Of solitude.

Of sitting, without my phone, while staring out my window or writing in my journal, paying close attention to and getting lost in my thoughts. 

Deleting social media from your phone gives you time to just *be*.

#4 — I’ve been more present in my relationships. 

I see this all the time. 

Families or couples out at restaurants. But instead of talking to each other, everyone’s scrolling on their phones.

I used to be like that, too. Not anymore.

Now, my phone doesn’t come out at all when I’m out with people. Sometimes, I leave it at home altogether. 

Example: I spent an entire Saturday with my partner and our friends the weekend before I left Budapest. 

During the day, we walked along the Duna River. And at night, we played Codenames.

I didn’t touch my phone at all that day. 

Instead, I gave all my attention to the people around me. To the conversations. To my environment.

Deleting social media from your phone is a life hack to be more present in your relationships.

And the more present you are, the more the people in your life will feel seen, heard, and appreciated. 

Which is key to building long-lasting connections. 

#5 — I’ve realized who’s important to me.

I used to have 400+ followers on Instagram.

I thought all these followers were my ‘friends.’

Because they liked and commented on my photos and watched my stories.

I was wrong.

I realized who was *actually* important to me after I deleted social media from my phone.

These were people who were consistently part of my life. Through the highs and the lows. Through life’s changes. And despite the long distance.

I can count these people on two hands. 

So now, instead of chasing followers, I invest in these relationships.  

Deleting social media from your phone will help you realize who your true friends are.

#6 — I’ve started to understand myself better.

I had zero self-awareness in 2016. 

I didn’t know what I:

→ Valued

→ Prioritized

→ Wanted to do

Or who I wanted to be. 

Nothing. 

In fact, I barely thought about these things. 

As a result, two things happened.

One, I moulded myself to fit the people around me.

Two, I adopted what was ‘important’ based on what I saw on social media. 

That’s why I was so unhappy, so lost then. 

Deep down, I knew I was being someone I wasn’t. And I chased the wrong things like having the perfect face, body, and relationship. 

Deleting social media apps from my phone gave me the space to connect with myself.

It gave me the space to tune into my intuition, thoughts, feelings, and energy.

It gave me the ability to step back from all the white noise.

So that I could figure out what was important to me and who I wanted to be. 

#7 - I’ve built self-worth.

When I was younger, I didn’t have self-worth.

So I sought validation through social media.

I used to put on makeup just so I could snap a selfie (using a filter, of course) to post on Instagram.

I relied on the likes, views, and comments to fuel my self-worth.

But now, I don’t rely on external validation anymore.

I’ve built self-worth by taking care of my mind, body, and soul. 

By keeping the promises I make to myself.

By doing hard and uncomfortable things.

This is the framework for unwavering self-worth.

Final Thoughts

Eight years ago, if you had told me where I’d be today, I wouldn’t have believed you.

Back then, I spent most of my time on social media.

I put minimal effort into school.

I had crappy lifestyle habits.

I had zero goals.

Fast forward to today, I ghostwrite for founders and CEOs building their personal brands.

I live and travel between Hungary, Taiwan, and Canada.

I feel content and at peace with who I am and where I am in my life right now.

And I have a project I work on, A Joyful Life, that brings me meaning and fulfilment.

All this happened because of one simple decision to delete all social media apps from my phone to prioritize myself.

So if you’re considering doing the same, I’d say: 

Do it. You won’t miss out on anything important. The world is not going to end. Everything will be fine.

It’s how you’ll gain control of your life. 

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This Week’s Recommendations

• On feeling out of control and what to do about it by The Powerful You

• Kindness: A Journey of Empathy and Vulnerability...#46 by Tinashe D. Ndhlovu

• Are You Being True to Yourself? Or Just Chasing Praise?...#47 by Tinashe D. Ndhlovu

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I’ll see you next Sunday,

Irene