Is Social Media Actually Necessary for (My) Survival?
Last month, my guides damn near YELLED at me, telling me that I needed to get my ass off of social media.
I had been getting that message for a few weeks, the depression was back with a vengeance, my life was not where I wanted it to be and still, I didn’t make the decision to log off.
There was this big fear for me around not making money if I wasn’t present on social media. The thought of leaving Instagram and Twitter indefinitely scared the shit out of me.
If you have been in any of my social media communities for the last few years, you know that I would take periodic month long breaks from social media, sometimes with warning, most times without. Doing a social media fast is not new for me, but this time, what my guides were asking of me felt different. It felt like my life and my sanity were depending on me not being on Instagram. It felt like my joy and my sanity depended on my social absence as well.
I began reading Pleasure Activism by adrienne maree brown, going to therapy, and having deep conversations with my friends around the same time and it really made me think: is social media actually necessary for my survival?
So many people have shared that one must have an Instagram presence (or at least an instagram account at a bare minimum) in order to be successful. You must, YOU MUST! You won’t get any clients or business if you dont have an Instagram.
Two things came to mind:
(1) How did businesses and individuals become financially successful without social media back in the day?
(2) I have had an instagram account for about 7-8 years. Granted, I did not join social media to sell anything, I have been blessed with an audience of over 40,000 beings. Never in my years on social media have I ever made money that amounted to my audience count. I don’t think I have even made $40,000 on Instagram in total over the years (I would estimate that in the last 5 years, I have made ~$10-15k in total directly and indirectly from IG and that might even be stretching it). My community count does not and has never equalled what was in my bank account. I WISH.
What has been said to me many times in many ways from humans and through clairsentience/clairaudience are a few things:
One: My audience isn’t on social media for real. People who really want to do the work probably aren’t scrolling on IG or Twitter for most of their days.
Two: Humxns like what is easiest. Social media culture is exploiting this. People will post all they want, but that does not mean that they are actually doing what they post in their real and waking life. I have said it before, but for many, social media is a kind of virtual reality.
Three: People, whether consciously or not, would much rather take than give. Reciprocity is not the name of the game on social media. People devour, consume, like, and keep it scrolling.
Four: Those that truly resonate with my work will find me. If someone won’t take the time to go to my website or send me an email (which are all on my social media profile pages) then they’re probably not about that life or they aren’t ready for my offerings.
Five: Spirit gave me these offerings to share with the world. Spirit does not operate on human time, especially the white mans time. My purpose is to share what I have been inspired to share. It is not to worry about who is resonating with the work or not. All I am supposed to do is show up fully…and me showing up fully does not include me being on social media.
What these past couple of weeks has confirmed for me is that my guides, my ancestors, and the unseen forces really have my back and they are lifting me up. I don’t feel that social media is necessary for my survival at all. I am seeing that the people that are for me really ride with me. I am seeing that my connection with certain people are deepening. I am connecting in different ways. As a matter of fact, I am REALLY and TRULY connecting with other beings in an intimate way. That makes me feel so much more alive and loved. I am not a shallow person in any way; I LOVE going deep. Being off of social media is showing me that I can go deeper with people, Instagram and Twitter weren’t really designed for depth.
I am in a state of reprogramming that reminds me that social media is NOT necessary for my survival, nor the survival of any other humans. There is a lot that has to be given up in order for that to be true (time, energy, money to spend for/on SM). I had wrote it in my last newsletter that social media is not my god and I still stand by that sentiment. Although people claim certain gods, whatever we set the majority of our attention and energy towards is actually the god that we serve, whether consciously or unconsciously.
I have unsubscribed from the notion that I NEED Instagram/Twitter and I am putting all of my faith that I will still be seen, heard, recognized, and PAID. It is a test of trust (and faith) that my needs will be met . I have a feeling that the seen and unseen forces that support me will come through for me in a way that surpasses what I had envisioned, they will provide for me in more ways than I can hope or pray for.
With my focus on my Work, my purpose, my mission, and my pleasure, there is no way that I can lose. I am sure of it. I feel it in my bones.