First of all...HEY!!!
Many of you haven't seen me on Social Media in over two weeks (Except for the post where I explained why I was "Ghosting" everyone).
I think it's only fair to start with WHY I went cold turkey and just stopped going on Social Media in the first place. There are multiple reasons, but the biggest one was my mental health. SM (Social Media) is difficult as it is, and when you don't have a clue what you're doing it's exhausting.
1. I had somewhat of a schedule, but I never kept to it, causing me to freak out because I just couldn't keep up! Posts, tweets, content, writing, living my day-to-day life, and making sure that my physical and mental health is in the green. I just couldn't balance it all.
2. This is a personal issue, but things on Social Media have been getting darker and darker by the day and I just couldn't handle the negativity and fighting anymore. (I even stopped watching/reading the news because of this reason.) I have bad anxiety and with everything that's been going on it just flared my anxiety up.
3. I needed a break. I needed TIME to figure the rats nest my mind became and the only way I could see how was to quite, even if just for two weeks.
So, now that you know the "Why", let me tell you what I gained in the past two weeks.
1. Inner Peace.
I could BREATHE! There were no worries about posting, checking my notifications of replying to DM's. I was free to do what I wanted for the first time in FOREVER, and let me tell you this was great! I had the time to focus on things I wanted to do, figure out my brand, work on things that were FUN for me. Yes, at some point, I forgot to have fun.
2. Physical Health.
I lost weight. By day two, I was starting to get bored. With all this newfound freedom, I didn't know what to do with myself so I decided to do Chloe Ting's Two Week Shred Challenge and I lost 29.5 CM overall on my body. I became fit again, and I remembered WHY I loved to exercise. It's always been a part of me, and when I was filled with Anxiety and Negativity I forgot how important it is to look after one's body.
3. New plans/ Ideas.
Once I had time, I figured out what I did wrong in Social Media. I thought about what I wanted to portray with my brand, what I wanted to do with my presence on SM and it only took me a few days to throw out all my old schedules and get back to the drawing board. Color wheels, logo's, content building...everything became such a part of me that the mindset of "another task" flew out the window. In this time I also started a new local business, it's long term which gives me enough time to work on Blake Design and my writing.
4. I wrote like nobodies business.
I decided to start a random story, and while I enjoyed the process, I reaped the benefits of reaching the Top Ten within a week on Wattpad (Don't diss on the WP, it's a great platform to gain readers.) I also got time to figure out what I wanted to write in the future and started plotting on those right away. There was no pressure, no deadline, just me, and a blank page.
5. I took a small vacation.
Although a Social Media break is great, being stuck in the house has been getting to me, as well as my family. Taking a small vacation to a Safari Lodge did the world's difference! We got to take part in an amazing project for Rhino Conservation and this gave me a new sense of being needed in life. (I'll talk about that experience in my next blog!) Waking up to the silence of the bushveld, drinking a cup of coffee as the hunter's moon rises over the horizon, stargazing in a dry river bank..these are the little things in life that I learned to enjoy more. I met new people, started new relationships and I learned some valuable life lessons. Taking a small vacation doesn't have to cost a boatload of money, so maybe add that to your list for 2020, even if it's camping in the backyard or going on a road trip...escape a bit!
6. A made a change.
I always say that change is good, and I wanted to soak into my own words. I changed my hair color and it was liberating. White hair needs constant attention, constant touch-ups, and don't get me started on the costs and time involved with keeping your hair as pearly white as a sheet of paper. I just didn't have the time for it anymore, It was dragging me down and I made a quick and easy decision to change it to brunette...AND I LOVE IT!
7. I spent time with my family.
Being busy can sometimes create rifts in relationships, and it was time I fixed this. I visited my mother, called my brother, had long talks with my in-laws, and even had the time to bother Vernon while he was playing on his computer. My relationships feel stronger than ever, and this made me make room for these relationships in my new schedule.
8. I got creative.
Painting, designing, drawing, music...you name it, I probably got involved in it somehow these past two weeks. I took my time adding something beautiful into everything I did. Designing book covers designing my schedule into a small booklet, I created beauty wherever I went.
9. I slept in.
And boy did I enjoy this one. I know that scientifically you can't catch up with sleep, but believe me, I tried. It made me realize that I needed a shut-off time every day. No work after six PM. This includes replying to emails, designing, writing, posting, tweeting...anything that doesn't include me, Netflix, and my bed.
10. INSPIRED.
I read books, I watched movies, I drove around town...and everything that I saw gave me inspiration. My nose was always stuck to my screen, posting something or replying, with it gone I could see the beauty all around me. Sometimes we just have to lift up our chins.
In the end, I don't regret taking a break. Some may say that you NEED to hustle every day to make it...but you can't make it to the top if you're broken. Take a break now and then, Social Media will still be there when you get back.
This break did me wonders. This break made me whole. I feel like I could face the world again, literally!
Mental health first. Personal Care First. YOU first.
You are LOVED.
You are BEAUTIFUL.
You are ENOUGH.
Ari.