The Real Flex Is a Regulated Nervous System.

How a faulty international data plan accidentally freed me from Instagram and gave me creative clarity. ✨

In life, the real flex is a regulated nervous system.

I recently journeyed to one of the Seven Wonders of the World. I could go on and on about the magnificence of the pyramids, but I’ll save that story for another blog post. Instead, let’s talk about how my nervous system got a little reset from social media.

Even though I paid for the international plan on my cellular data, I made sure I had coverage because I can admit—loudly, in a room full of people—that I’m addicted to Instagram. That quick refresh of a feed that keeps me laughing and slightly entertained for hours at a time? Yeah, that’s my weakness.

But somehow, my cell phone plan was faulty. Every time I tried to get that little dopamine hit, I was stunned. I would get maybe one story from my beloved followers… and that was it.

I almost lost my cool.

I’m halfway around the world and I don’t know what’s going on in my friends’ lives. Whatever should a girl do? Maybe… actually enjoy the vacation, I suppose.

Enough complaining. Let me tell you what I did discover.

My boyfriend has been telling me for months that I should delete social media. He says it’s bad for me or something like that. Honestly, whenever he said it, I would get very upset with him—and basically anyone else who suggested I take even a week-long break.

So now I’m wondering… were they finally right? Or did I just get the break I didn’t know I deserved?

I can honestly say that I feel different. The uncomfortable pressure I used to feel from constantly posting on social media is slowly fading. Lately, I’ve been in a very quiet, solitude bubble—and I’m actually enjoying it.

Maybe it’s just me navigating my way through my thirties. I’m not totally sure. But I do know that I feel refreshed. I don’t have that same urge to constantly be stimulated anymore. Instead, I have the urge to complete little side quests that make me feel alive on the inside.

I still think social media has the power to inspire people. It can connect us, motivate us, and even change lives. But it also creates space for something else—the energy of people on the other side of the screen. Sometimes it feels like that energy isn’t always good. Almost like an evil eye.

Lately, I’ve realized that there are parts of my life I may not want to share anymore.

Back in 2020, when I decided to start the journey of building a large following, I didn’t fully understand the social pressure that comes with having an audience. I didn’t realize how easily sharing your life can slowly turn into performing your life.

And sometimes, if I’m being honest, it feels like I’m constantly on stage.

The sick part is… I actually like it.

I enjoy social media. I enjoy sharing, connecting, and creating. But the downside is the forever-changing algorithm. It really has creators in a chokehold, and I refuse to keep trying to keep up with it.

At this point, I’m honestly not even trying to gain any more followers. Whatever bed has already been made, I’ll happily stay there. I’ll just share on my own terms.

And to be fair, I can’t say that social media is all bad. If I’m being honest, I’ve probably gotten more perks than cons from it. But mentally, that one week away gave me clarity about where I want to take my creative direction.

For a while, I feel like I’ve been a little cookie-cutter with my blog. When I was in my early twenties, I hadn’t really experienced life yet, so a lot of my posts stayed on the surface.

Now I’m a seasoned woman.

I’ve been blogging for seven years now, and despite how busy life gets, writing has always been a passion of mine. I’ve always had deep thoughts—I just never really expressed them out loud.

But now I have so much to say.

And the only way to understand it… is to read it and feel it.