I’m Quitting Social Media (and Doing This Instead)

If I’m honest, social media and I have been growing apart for some time now.

The endless algorithm changes, the growing number of ads and products, and the fact that I have to post selfies for my content to be seen by anyone (which I don’t enjoy!)

And even when I do post a selfie, it still reaches only a fraction of my connections. Most of the engagement is just because it’s my face and not because of the content that I work so hard to craft in support of people who need it. Lame.

Social media is noisy and tiring and I just don’t want to do it anymore.

So, I’m not!

I’m quitting social media indefinitely, and I feel really good about it.

The new plan I’ve created instead of social media feels way more fun and aligned.

I’m refocusing how and where I share my content, along with what platforms I’ll keep using and why.

I’m a content creator, and that’s what brings me the most joy.

It’s a big part of my purpose work in this life—to make stuff—and I want to get back to creating content in ways that feel like me and have more of an impact.

Here’s what I’ll be focusing on instead:

• Creating more long-form blog posts: This is fun for me! I’ve enjoyed creating more in-depth pieces for the blog on everything from why I started mountain biking to what’s going on in my life to topics people want to learn on, like healing and growth, finding your purpose, and making impossible things happen. I’ll be sharing more behind-the-scenes of what I’m working on and weekly “around here” recaps that look behind the scenes of my life and business. Click here to subscribe to my list, so you don’t miss any new content!
• Regular workshops and trainings: I’ll promote these to my email list and Facebook and LinkedIn as events (even though I will not be posting on these platforms otherwise), and I’ll be exploring posting to other event platforms like Meetup and Eventbrite. I love teaching workshops, and the content leads right into other offerings if people want to go deeper. My trainings aren’t a pitch-fest by any means, and I ensure attendees get a TON of actionable content. I’ll also be looking at offering these live again when it makes sense and is safe.
• Creating more video content: YouTube serves as a search engine more than a social media site. And people love video. I personally don’t watch many videos because you can’t skim them, but most people do. I’ll bring back the weekly vlog and begin sharing a shorter video series twice weekly starting this month. Click here to subscribe to my channel, so you don’t miss a thing!
• Optimizing Pinterest: Pinterest is also a search engine, which means it’s a great place to share content. Just like any search engine, the key is optimization. So we’ll be clearing out, updating, and optimizing my Pinterest page so that it drives more traffic to the site and blog. We’ll also continue to post new content we release to our boards so more people can find it!

• Bringing back my Love Notes: I love, love, love creating these beautiful booklets and have decided that much of my shorter form content (that I’m always endlessly writing) will now be inside my monthly Love Notes. These are so fun for me to make, and they’re both inspiring and actionable. Each page is carefully crafted with art and words, there are manifestos and quotes you can rip out and frame, and there’s a worksheet that helps you dive deeper into each month’s topic. Plus, I record an AcuSesh recording that will help remove any blocks or limiting beliefs around the theme we’re working with! This is a paid offering and will be available very inexpensively as digital or print versions.

• Continuing to focus on visibility: This is something we’ve been working hard at behind the scenes this year! We regularly research and do outreach to other podcasts to have me on as a guest, and I’ve had so much fun sharing my message with other people’s audiences. Additionally, I’ve always had access to guest post on some larger sites; I just haven’t taken advantage of that in a while. We’ll continue to prioritize visibility, along with finding new ways to get the work front and center where our right people are already hanging out online.
• SEO optimization: Something we do in the design business is help research keywords and create strategies around search engine optimization (SEO). We’ll be taking what we do so well for others and applying it here! That looks like updated keyword research, creating “pillar” content that ranks, optimizing and auditing old content, and more. This will help our blogs and videos show up higher when people are googling for support and resources.
• Product sales: This has been in the works already, as we’re moving all our online programs into affordable and accessible printed workbooks so that more people can get support (while holding something tangibly in their hands). Love Notes are also a physical offering, and we have other products we’re currently developing (and will be sharing sneak peeks about on the blog). So we’ll be focusing on more avenues to get our work out into the world, such as selling on bigger platforms, affiliate programs, and more.

These things feel far more energizing than social media, and I’ve been reading a lot and getting inspired by other entrepreneurs who’ve left social media in the rearview.

The general consensus is it’s worth it. Their lives are more peaceful, and their businesses are thriving without dealing with the noise every day.

Truth be told, there’s a deeper piece to this decision for me personally as well.

I don’t believe I have an unhealthy relationship with social media, at least not in the ways most people talk about it.

I understand it’s a highlight reel, and I don’t compare myself to others. I don’t take it personally when a post gets no engagement because I know the algorithm favors and prioritizes certain content types, images, and words over others.

Yet, there’s still a way social media has served as a crutch for me.

My deepest desire is to feel seen and understood.

As I’ve done the in-depth healing work this last month to untangle from my core wounds, heal from relationship trauma, and unpack everything that’s been standing in the way of what I want, I’ve begun to see how social media fit into the puzzle.

Social media used to just be fun and expressive to me.

I honestly never cared about or considered the algorithms; I just posted what I felt like posting when I felt like posting it. While my intention and strategy with social media have changed over the years for different reasons, something went awry when I found myself in the rockiness of my last relationship.

It started feeling like the only place I could be truly seen and heard.

I’ve always worked hard to ensure my content stays clean (as in not writing “to” or “for” someone), and I’ve always intended for it to benefit others. But I’ve felt the urge lately to reassess what I share, how I share it, and where I share it.

I’ve started asking myself things like…

What if I channeled more of my words into my books and products?
What if I gave more time to myself and my desires vs. my feed and connections?
What if I shared more of my heart and feelings with the people around me?
What if I worked on feeling more at home in everyday moments again vs. just my work?
What if I found other, less noisy ways to stay connected to the people I want to follow?
What if I made more art and had more experiences vs. reading other people’s updates?

I’ve been focused on showing up with wholehearted openness and vulnerability in my relationships and new connections, and it’s been the most magical time. It’s also been tremendously beneficial to my greater body of work—my book, my group, my programs—rather than dripping my thoughts and ideas out in small snippets on platforms that don’t even give it a chance to reach much of anyone at all.

I’ll still be creating a ton of regular content because that’s just what I do.

And I’ll be sharing a lot of that here on the blog.

But the focus will be shifting, just a bit.

I’ll still be going deep and sharing musings or snippets of my upcoming book. I’ll still bring you into my world and take you behind the scenes on adventures, projects, and what’s happening in my life. It’ll just be less “real-time” like it was on social media. There will be new things I’ll be sharing that I haven’t ever before or in a long while. And there are more things I’ll be saving for my book (and just for myself and the sweet souls in my life to enjoy and cherish in real life).

I’m feeling more seen and heard in my life because I’m more at peace with who I am and have been busy building a far more aligned and meaningful life.

I’ve untangled from so much that kept me hooked into social media, which is why it feels easy to say goodbye. I feel more content than ever to just be with myself and my own experience. I also talk to my closest friends weekly, if not daily. I’m bonding more with my family and planning to head home to a more supportive space in the spring. I’m reconnecting and making plans with old friends I adore, as well as connecting with new people who are capable of meeting me where I’m at.

Life is good. My heart is full. I’m feeling free and at peace.

And I really can’t wait to see all the transformation that happens with letting go of social media and refocusing my energy even further.

I hope you’ll join me for the ride by subscribing below!