12 Reasons why I deactivated Instagram

1. Instagram is very accessible so I would reach for it as soon as I wake up or when I can’t sleep at night. And it is definitely not an ideal way to start the day or end it.
2. I waste so much time on the app, even though I had only intended to check the new posts. This happens as a result of checking the popular page and/or checking friends of friends.
3. Comparing my life to my friends (and their friends’ lives).
4. Comparing my life to celebrities and Instagram personalities (who often pose and project fake standards).
5. Becoming addicted to likes (there is a scientific study to support that), peoples’ approval, and popularity.
6. Comparing my Instagram’s popularity to my friends.
7. It’s a great source of gossip.
8. I value my privacy (and even though I am often tempted to post, It doesn’t agree with my nature).
9. It could stir up past wounds like if I’m following an ex boyfriend, or ex best friend.
10. It conditions my brain to want to seek peoples’ approval.
11. It could devalue a  great activity just because it doesn’t look attractive on camera.
12. It makes my brain filled with other people, their lives, and fake standards.
13. IG tailors the popular page towards your interests which made me spend so much time on the app (Also, I followed some positive accounts that show street animals and their transformation so my popular page was filled with pictures of animal cruelty that was a source of sudden mental and emotional anguish for me).

I just woke up and felt like writing this post cause I have been going back and forth between deactivating and activating my account. Recently, I activated my account after a long period of withdrawing from IG, and I started noticing how negative my thought process has become. I am sure not everyone uses IG negatively but I feel like most are. This post is very scattered but I hope your enjoy it anyway.

How to Make your Morning Serene

Dear Wonderful Reader,

Have you ever felt that your day could have been so much If you had more time in the morning for yourself, instead of almost tripping on your hairbrush and spending 5 minutes looking for your keys when you’re already late. Have you ever felt that those feelings of anxiety and tardiness that we feel in the mornings often accompany us for the rest of the day making us fell…well, anxious and unproductive. I know it may seem like our mornings don’t influence our days but they do. That’s why we need to develop good habits in the morning to help us be and feel our best for the entirety of the day.

 

1. Get enough sleep.

That’s right! A good morning starts the night before.

2. Wake up early and ON TIME.

Set your alarm and make sure you give yourself enough time to do whatever you need to do. Also It helps if you change your alarm sound to a song that gives you serenity or just puts you in a good mood, instead of the typical alarm sounds that our minds associate with “kill joys”.

3. Don’t linger in bed.

Getting up right away will make you feel productive and that you have control over your mind and body. Also refrain from lingering in bed because your mind is awake at this point but your body isn’t. Our mind can start playing tricks on us like recalling unpleasant events from the day before and discouraging us about a task that we have to accomplish today. You want to wake up and put your mind to work for you, not the other way around.

4. Hydrate before you caffeinate.

Drink a glass of water first thing in the morning. Set it on your night stand for easy access in the morning. Water with a lemon slice is good and the scent will help wake you up and make you feel refreshed. Then go ahead and drink your favorite cup of coffee or tea. It feels good to do something nice for ourselves in the morning so treat yourself and make something that you’ll enjoy sipping on.

5. Say Good Morning to your loved ones.

Giving or receiving little acts of love make us feel good and help remind our minds of what really matters. So show your family and pets some L-O-V-E.

6. Stretch for a minute.

We are telling our brains that it’s time to get up and start moving.

7. Set the mood.

You can create a morning playlist of audio that you find brings you serenity whether its nature sounds, worship music, music, audio books, or even motivational speakers. Just make sure that whatever you listen to has a good message behind it and be selective of the lyrics because we are trying to condition our minds for the rest of the day. Refrain from loud music. Open up one window (or all windows) and leave the rest of the room dim to let in light and fresh air without compromising serenity. It also helps to engage our other senses by lighting a candle or spraying a calming scent.

8. Caffeinate.

Drink your favorite cup of coffee or tea. It feels good to do something nice for ourselves in the morning so treat yourself and make something that you’ll enjoy sipping.

9. WRITE (Meditate).

The most important step in my opinion. This step is like having a meeting with your mind before it starts working. We are setting it on the right path and reminding it of what truly matters. Use this step to reflect on events that were unpleasant from the day before and dump all the anger, the regret, or any other toxic feelings in writing. How many of us dread going to work in the morning? How any of us have to work with people that we don’t see eye to eye with? How may of us downright have horrible bosses and mean coworkers? WRITE ABOUT IT ALL. We don’t want those people in our minds all day. The more we reflect on things that upset us, the quicker we’re going to find ways to deal with them without it affecting out joy and peace. Also you could use writing as a tool to pray by writing letters to God or to plan your day. It also helps if you read something that has a good message in the morning like The Holy Bible or any book that you find inspiring.

I use a very cool website called 750words.com to help me reflect and set my mind on the right path in the morning. It acts like a very cool journal and my favorite part is the stats it gives you after each entry because it tells you your mood and other awesome stuff.

1o. Eat breakfast.

Don’t skip breakfast! We have to fuel our bodies before expecting them to preform A1. Eat a good nutritional breakfast that you enjoy.

11. Shower and get dressed.

Shower and dress your best. Don’t save your good shirt or your perfume. Do something new everyday however small. When we look our best, we feel our best.

12. Do something good for someone else in the morning.

Its a universal law: do good, feel good.

 

P.S. It can feel like trying to control our mornings defeats the purpose of it being serene but serenity is a state of mind. Before serenity becomes second nature to us we have to work hard at developing good habits.

A few things to keep in mind:

A. Refrain from using social media in the morning.

B. Whatever you do, don’t go back to bed.

C. Keep your space clean, organized, and clutter free.

 

Get out there and be a boss!