It’s time for me to leave social media

It’s time for me to leave social media.

(I will still write here on my blog; more on that below.)

You see, this leave has been picking up momentum since 2013 when a plump baby boy was placed on my chest after an emergency c-section delivery. I was 10 days past my due date, and he was nearly 10 pounds. We needed (and found) a “not as expected” exit strategy. 

At the time I was juggling a handmade business alongside motherhood, which included life in Los Angeles. It was a lot, y’all. Postpartum is a beautiful, tender process. 

As the years passed and plump babies continued to be placed on my chest, I stepped back from Gussy Sews more and more. Then one day, writing became my “craft” and sewing was something of the past. It was gradual, and the right next thing. 

Then one day, also “not as expected,” we made the decision to homeschool. At the time I had three children born in three fun years, and public school was not the best route for their education or our schedule. Update: this has been a fantastic decision! 

All the while, social media continued to hurt my mental health. I didn’t know how to share that, and I kept so much of my stress inside. Here’s a PSA: don’t do that!

So many voices, so many options, so many different “peeks” into other people’s lives. My mind doesn’t switch on and off that fast, and I was reaping poor benefits.  

You probably know I think and I feel deeply. Frequently. And social media lit all of my thinking and feeling on fire —in a bad way. I can’t continue to use social media knowing it hurts my mental health. It doesn’t help my family to thrive, it doesn’t help my chest pain to go away, it doesn’t help me to stop comparing myself. 

Setting a time limit for the App doesn’t help. Not using it on certain days doesn’t help. Deleting it on weekends doesn’t help. Only using it on a computer doesn’t help. 

What does help? 

Not using it at all. 

Social media is like watching a micro-documentary into my/your life. There are so many personal updates, changes, things to see and learn and hear and think about. There is so much beauty shared on social media, and I have learned so many beautiful things relating to Christianity, motherhood, home educating, homemaking, and then there’s the houseplant accounts —lol.

All good things, but the radius of information is too much for me. It is causing me to shatter and suffer. 

I need to leave, so I am. 

I enjoy writing and sharing encouragement, so I will continue to write on my blog. If you’d like to read my periodic updates, in a delivery format that is non-urgent or algorithm based, subscribe to my email newsletter or check back here.

Topics you’ll find on my blog:

+ motherhood

+ faith

+ inspiration

+ homeschool

+ Seminary / book recommendations

+ simple living

I’m still available to reach via email, maggie@maggiewhitley.com.

Reading the list of symptoms Katie Blackburn shared was illuminating for me personally. It took half a second to realize it’s time for me to leave. Also within that half second, my chest pain went away.

It’s time for me to turn off the excessive noise. I trust the Lord to quiet my fears and demolish this idol.

It’s time for me to flourish, not flounder, in life. I’ve been given the responsibility of a physical house with a husband and four children and even a cute dog, and they need more of my attention. They need my best attention. I lead a Bible study and want to invest more in this local ministry. I want to stop experiencing so many negative emotions and behaviors.

This is new territory, but I’m ready for it. 

xx, Maggie

PS. I’m blessed by all the friendships and encouraging messages shared here. (Thank you so so much.)

PSS. I don’t have all of the details worked out, like “Will I ever return to social media?” For now, the answer is no. And for once I’m really cool with the unknown.