How I quit Instagram and found true happiness

And doesn't that sound like a self-help mubbly jubbly blog post title?

Over 5 weeks ago I quit Instagram.

First I should preface the following post to state that I loved using Instagram, seeing others and what they were making, growing and experiencing.  I had just a touch under 1500 followers (which personally I found a little ridiculous and also out-of-control), and followed about 700 interesting people.  Some of those people were real life friends. Others were people I consider close online friends - people I correspond with outside of Instagram. The rest I wouldn't have known at all - I admired them greatly and would probably never meet them, but that was ok.



I know a lot of people get frustrated with Instagram - they never feel good enough, or slim enough, or whatever enough.  That's not me. I am who I am, and am perfectly happy with who I am, and not once did I feel inadequate based on someone else's life, or quilts, or amazing garden, or amazing garment. Instead I felt inspired! Look at that amazing technique! I should try that sometime. Ooh I love that t-shirt on that girl in New Mexico. I should look that pattern up.

So what was my problem then?

1. I was addicted to checking Instagram. I would check while waiting for a meeting to start, waiting for the bus or my coffee, and after waking up in the middle of the night from a bad dream.  Worst of all, I would check while I was spending it with pretty fine company.  Just for a minute. Maybe answer a comment, maybe add a comment. But how freaking rude is that? I hated it when people did it to me. It had to stop.

2. I started finding my own behaviour obnoxious.  Yes, I'm talking about taking photos of my food.  It wasn't even that amazing, but I just had to share it, you know?



3. I shared about 5% of my life on Instagram. But some people thought it was my whole life and would comment and judge accordingly. And I started getting tired of sharing that 5%. I wanted my life back for myself.

4. There are a few rude, judgmental and passive-aggressive people on Instagram. Everyone is entitled to a bad day, but if they were repeat offenders I would just block them or ignore them.

5. The sky looks bluer when viewed with your own eyes, and not with a filter on Instagram. It really does.

The morning I deleted my account I actually felt sick. Even though I'd given it a lot of thought and done a lot of research, I regretted it immediately.  I knew I would miss my friends, and miss the inspiration I got from all those gorgeous photos.  I arrived at the bus stop in the freezing rain and for the first time in years I didn't check my phone to see who had loaded photos in the ten minute walk from my home to Northbourne Avenue. Ten seconds later a very old friend showed up at the bus stop.  I would not have noticed her if I'd had my head buried in my phone. We talked all the way into town and it was the perfect start to my day.

That day three more "instances of connectivity" (as I have come to call them) happened that definitely wouldn't have happened if I'd been checking my now-deleted account.  By 6 pm I knew it was the best decision I could have made. I have been feeling more connected with the world ever since.

Suddenly I have more time. I am sewing more. I am not worrying about why he or she doesn't comment on my photos as much as they used to. I don't have that dilemma about whether I should be a private or public Instagrammer. I don't feel dirty that I was using IG as a business and marketing tool sometimes. I am sleeping better. When I wake from a bad dream, I get out of bed and walk to the kitchen and get a glass of water. My I-things are powered off at night. My mobile phone bill is now much cheaper. I am spending more time with friends that doesn't involve me being a complete jerk and checking my phone every 10 minutes. I am spending more time with friends, full stop. If I am making a quilt and need an opinion, I will text a photo to friends and family instead.

I'm not photographing my dinner anymore.

I am looking up. (Seriously, you need to watch this.)

A few friends contacted me when they noticed I was gone from IG and commented that they missed my photos and would miss seeing what I was up to.  To this I say

• If you had coffee or lunch or a chat with me every now and then you would know what I was doing and I would know what you were doing and the time we spent together would be more fulfilling than logging onto an app (and there's also that 5% of life thing I mentioned)
• Email. Texting. Phoning. They are all good things. 
• I am still blogging.  In fact, I am blogging more than I was before and I find it a much better use of time and creativity. In a discussion with a (real life) quilting friend recently who also blogs and instagrams, we agreed that we'd rather read 1000 words and 4 photos about the creation process than 4 words and a single photo and a whole lot of comments we have to trawl through to get the full story.

Now this post is an extremely personal one.  I quit Instagram for my own reasons, to gain more useful time, and for my own happiness.  But I won't be judging anyone who is still on there. Everyone has to create the paths to their own happiness. Instagram used to do it for me, but the side-effects weren't worth it.  I am happier now, and I feel like I don't have to share every moment or every blue sky with 1500 other people to feel validated about how happy and lucky I am.

Because I am extremely happy and lucky, and I don't need to take a photo to illustrate that.


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Disclaimer #1: I do still use Instagram occasionally as the Canberra Quilters instagrammer. I load the app onto my iphone, upload the photos I need to upload, check it for 24 hours in case there are any questions, and then delete it off my iphone again until the next time I need it.

Disclaimer #2: I originally thought I might just give myself a long break from IG, and so I registered a new name similar to my old name just in case (and to stop anyone else stealing it). Having really enjoyed not using it for 5 weeks and 2 days though, I seriously doubt I will be back.

(Edit: just as I uploaded this post I received a postcard from an old IG friend who I have actually met and it was wonderful! And she wrote beautiful things! The universe keeps sending me reminders of true friendship. I am so grateful).