How to stop social media making you anxious
Do the carefully edited lives of other people make you feel unworthy? Read this guide to help you tune out.
Want to know how to stop social media making you anxious?
Know first that you're not alone. Along with reality TV, social media anxiety is something of an epidemic, especially in lockdown with everyone glued to screens for work and play.
I'm going to show you how to cure its crippling effects.
We all know life is not easy and just when things are going well, we're hit with a curveball—like a global pandemic.
Then when we try to escape from the reality of an uncertain world, we switch on the TV and are bombarded not just with bad news about coronavirus and economies in lockdown, but by scripted reality TV, scripted news, and edited social media feeds, causing comparison syndrome.
These fake shows make you feel like real life isn't enough. In my own life, I've heard and experienced:
—Feeling like a fraud
—Imposter syndrome kicking in hard
—Feeling unworthy and fundamentally flawed
—Overwhelming self-doubt
—Lacking self belief
—Low self-esteem
—Fading or suppressed dreams
—Lost hope and creativity
—Low energy
—Lack of motivation
To stop social media making you anxious, know that the problem of why it's an epidemic is that society has conditioned us to stay safe, to keep in our lane, to not rock the boat or the haters will slam us.
Don’t shine too bright because we will shine a light on other people's insecurities.
This can make us isolated, thinking, 'Is this me, am I the only one who feels like this?' The answer is no. There are so many people feeling exactly like us, and they will never speak about it because they don’t want to come across as not having it all together.
Many of us were never taught how to share our emotions, how to walk through them, how to heal and let go.
The incredible thing is we can heal, we can feel again, we can have access to our emotions and unwavering self-belief. It’s never ever too late to follow our path to our purpose.
I want us all to know there is another way which a new idea, an ancient method, a power in you and me.
Repeat this
I CAN
I WILL
I MUST
I AM WHOLE
IT’S MY DUTY
THIS IS MY LIFE
MY TIME
MY DESTINY
MY PATH
The way forward in how to stop social media making you anxious is to consciously create your own future in advance.
Here's my top 7 ways to continually evolve, break up with social media and stop reality TV anxiety:
WAKE UP EACH DAY WITH A PURPOSE
That idea might be a flicker deep inside you. It has to have fuel to become a flame. Start small, start researching and learning. A few minutes each day in the beginning will trigger hope and excitement.
PROTECT YOUR MIND LIKE GOLD
You wouldn’t put poison in your body so why allow it into your mind? Stay away from social or emails until after 9am. The brain is in a Theta state when you wake up. This is a window into the subconscious. Read inspiring stories, meditate and listen to motivation content. This will build a little more self-belief each day.
STRENGTHEN YOUR BODY
The body is the vehicle for the soul, so for that reason, at least we should take care of it. The psychological benefits of becoming stronger and fitter are well researched: increased self-esteem, self-confidence, reduced anxiety, depression and more positive outlook on life.
SEEK KNOWLEDGE AND GROW DAILY
Like your body, the mind reacts to pressure, the more you stretch it with knowledge and growth, the more it can handle life, and it will give you greater access to new opportunities. Nurture your creativity by spending time journaling, writing or creating.
KEEP THE PROMISES YOU SAY TO YOURSELF
Build your trust bank by making small deposits each day. Make small promises and keep them and feel your self-worth grow. Confidence will start to increase as will your ability to hold more substantial promises.
TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR EVERYTHING IN YOUR LIFE
The ultimate responsibility is to know that we are 100% responsible for our attitudes, behaviours, emotions and reactions. No longer can we say “they made me feel this way” “I am like this because of this thing that happened 5 years ago” all might be true, but it will not help us live a fulfilling life. A life of blame, justification and denial is a life of pain and regret.
BE VERY CLEAR ON WHO YOU ARE BECOMING
If you are not where or who you want to be, grab a pen and spend time in a quiet place and mindstorm for one hour all the qualities of the person that would create the life you want. Create the exact image of them: what they wear, how they act, how they speak, what they believe in themselves, what skills and abilities they have. Then write down exactly how you want to live in the future.
If you have read this far, you are genuinely committed to your best life. I am 100 per cent in your corner.
You are unique, gifted, uncommon.
Shone on. Do the work. In the words of US journalist and entrepreneur Steve Kotler, "Live ferociously."
Daniel Burgess is a Pro Coach mentor at The Coaching Institute, and a speaker and coach. Working one-on-one, he has helped hundreds of people develop self-belief and overcome their biggest challenges. He has coached thousands of people to rewrite their stories and chase their dreams.
There were times in Dan's life where he had to fight to survive. He has suffered horrific injuries, been jobless and homeless and had to rebuild more than once. His story is a reminder anyone can turn their life around and why he is so committed to the power of being defiant.
