What I Learned Doing A Social-Media Fast

Hey, homeschoolers! It was the end of October when I saw a post on Instagram from a former guest on this podcast --Karla Marie Williams. She shared a picture of Wendy Speake's book The 40-Day Social Media Fast and said she would be back on Instagram after she'd completed her fast. I wrote, "Wait! Take me with you!" I knew nothing about the book or Wendy, but the idea of a social media fast was as appealing as joining a friend on a beach vacation. I ordered the book and made plans to stop participating on Facebook and Instagram the next week. I committed to stop watching the news at the same time. I learned much more in those 40 days than I ever anticipated. If you could benefit from the lessons I learned, I encourage you to plan a fast of your own.   Before I share the lessons, though, I would love to have you subscribe to my channel on YouTube. My most recent video is about how to keep your cool as a parent. A few years ago, I was experiencing debilitating neck and shoulder pain. I couldn't sleep or do any of my daily activities as a result. I went to a chiropractor, took heaps of ibuprofen, and used a TENS (muscle contraction) device among many other approaches. When I had nearly despaired of getting relief, I found a video on YouTube by motivationaldoc outlining the problem I had. In short, I had tight muscles from staring at screens which had impinged on a nerve. Within 24 hours of starting the stretching exercises he recommended, I had relief. I was completely pain-free within a few days. God used a YouTube video to solve a huge problem in my life. I was recently asked to meet with a couple I know via Zoom. I didn't provide counseling, of course, but I listened to the problems they were having and directed them to get the help they needed. While I think I helped this couple a lot, I realized I could help many more families the same way on YouTube. Going forward, I will be sharing actionable tips and how-to's for achieving homeschool sanity there. My deepest desire apart from serving God and my family is to serve homeschool families. Please share my channel with homeschoolers you know. Now to the lessons learned from my social media fast... The first, shocking thing I learned is that I don't have to be on social meda. I own a business with a Facebook page, two Facebook groups, and two Instagram accounts. How could I possibly leave these two platforms for 40 days? What should have been shocking about this aspect of my fast is that I ever thought my participation on social meda was essential. I have an amazing virtual assistant who manages my posts and makes sure I get messages on Facebook. She continued doing her work while I fasted, leaving only the posts I needed to respond to during my fast. Although I have wanted to interact with people on my page and in my groups more, I hadn't been doing it. I'm sure no one missed me! That should have come as no surprise after I stopped participating cold turkey in a separate Facebook group that I had been active in daily. Maybe three people in the group noticed and messaged me. Instagram was the same.