It’s been a longer than usual time since I last posted on Instagram and here on the blog, but I can explain. In fact that’s the whole subject of this blog post. So I’ll just in into the three reasons why I took a short break from social media:
1. I Wasn’t Posting With A Purpose
Consistency should not come at the expense of intentionality. I had a grid planned out with all my photos. I had the content to post. I knew the days I could post them. But there was no message. There was no story for me to share along with them. Then I had the “crazy” idea that maybe, just maybe, if I don’t have anything to say, I don’t have to say anything at all. I led with that approach and that was the primary reason I decided to back off from posting on Instagram. I sometimes feel the pressure to have to post every Sunday, or at least every other Sunday because it is a part of my branding after all. But still, I would much rather be purposeful with my words and posts on social media. Besides, I ended up gaining a significant number of followers while I was on my social media break. This allowed me let go of the idea that in order to grow my audience I needed to constantly post new content.
The reality is my mind and body weren’t feeling it.
2. I Was Tired
Truly. That’s really just it. I started my second semester of law school, and I was already beginning to feel like I had a lot on my plate. My mind got tired at the thought of picking out outfits and getting ready to pose for pictures in the cold to secure the content. The reality is my mind and body weren’t feeling it. Thankfully I listened.
3. Social Media Was a Very Sad Place
With the death Kobe Bryant, his daughter, and seven others on board with them on a helicopter that crashed in Calabasas last Sunday, I hadn’t planned on posting an #EniGivenSunday post on Instagram last week. Even if I did, it didn’t feel right at all. Even in the days following the accident, it seemed like that was the only topic discussed on social media. Posts fell into one of two categories: heartfelt tributes by those who loved and adored Kobe, or influencers posting captions with the lesson that “life is too short.” For some influencers and content creators, they are artfully able to turn such a tragedy into a message to share with their audience. But I know myself. That wasn’t going to be how I went about things. Sometimes the events of life are too painful, too profound, to turn into a 200 word message paired with an attention-grabbing photo. Call me crazy, but it’s very easy for that to seem superficial. So instead, I decided to take time to reflect on what all of this meant for me.
So if anything, the takeaway for me is simple. Be kind.
Last week’s tragic event reminded me that people are in pain. When I think about all the people who were grieving, or in shock, I thought about all the people I know who have been affected by the death of a loved one. I thought about all the friends I have who have lost parents at a young age. I thought about those I know who have lost siblings or best friends. Lost to freak accidents, sudden sickness, stray bullets, and much more. I thought about the fact that tragedies happen every day, and for many of them, we never know the names of those lost. We never hear about them on the news or read about them in the paper. Instead people who loved them are left with the pain of their loss. They carry that pain around with them daily. So if anything, the takeaway for me is simple. Be kind. You really don’t know what pain people are carrying. The last thing I want is to add to someone’s pain through actions of malice or bitterness. The death of Kobe Bryant reminded me not only to pray for Vanessa Bryant and the families of those affected, but for all people who coping with the pain of losing a loved one.
“Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.” 2 Corinthians 4: 16
