Reclaiming ‘Blithe’: The Importance of Taking a Break
It was supposed to be for 30 days. No more, no less.
Now 20 months later, I've concluded my social media hiatus.
On November 1st 2021, I decided to step away from social media with every intention of focusing on becoming a more grounded and introspective content creator; I was determined to have a brand that served to educate on multiple facets of wellness.
The fear of not having the supply to meet the demand of my posting schedule created a temptation to post whatever, and this same fear was leading me toward a mindset of lack & mediocrity... I couldn’t accept that. I didn’t want to start posting content out of a desire for relevancy. This forced me to recognize that I still had some internal work to do. This recognition revealed that:
my person, under stress, could not calmly show up authentically.
my person, in the midst of overwhelming obligation, could not elevate.
I also place value upon the importance of practicing what you preach; at that time, I was not practicing what I was preaching. ‘Blithe’ can be used to describe ease, yet my life at this time felt less than easeful.
I now realize that my confusion of ‘ease’ with ‘aesthetic’ contributed to a complex that made the break longer than it needed to be. To further compound the issue, the idea of showing up again on camera made me feel really uneasy. What I failed to realize was that I didn't need to provide some excuse or explanation when I decided to return to posting content. I didn’t need proof that my mission was accomplished- I would be just fine showing up as a work in progress.
What I gained from my social media hiatus was brand clarity and a more solidified professional identity. It didn't happen overnight, and it certainly didn't happen in 30 days. I trusted the pause for as long as it felt right, and I continued to positively progress toward my purpose.
Will my social media engagement suffer upon my return? Probably. Will my follower count drop? Perhaps. Will I be unrecognizable by the algorithm when I start posting again? More than likely. But… much of this downside is temporary, and I have faith that with hard work we can always regain the things that we’ve lost over time.
Remember that you set the parameters- whether in minutes, days, or months. Take a moment and ask yourself: ‘Could I use a social media break?’. If the answer is ‘yes!’, I would implore you to be courageous and make it happen.