I’ve finally gotten around to my social media rant! I think it’s a huge waste of time, which causes inactivity, and ultimately, weight gain. How many of you are on social media: Facebook or Instagram? Or maybe some of you are more experienced and you also have SnapChat! Whatever you have, do you actively participate in it? If so, how many times per day?

I am on Facebook and Instagram. Facebook I use just about only for business purposes, promoting my challenges, getting people to sign up for the newsletter, etc. The other times I’m on Facebook I am trying to cut down on (remember my ‘minimalism’ goals, right?). Instagram I really just have so I can keep tabs on my daughter… same with SnapChat.

Why am I anti-social media you might be asking?

Two main reasons. The first one is they are a HUGE waste of time. HUGE. HUGE. Let me repeat… HYOOOOOOGE waste of time! People could write novels, volunteer in a soup kitchen, learn to play an instrument, learn a language etc. if they swapped their overall social media time with doing one of the above things. That’s the truth.

Here’s another thing people could do with their extra time if they got off of social media: exercise and plan their meals. Wow, what a great idea! I think if most of the U.S. population got off of social media and used that time to exercise, our obesity rate would plummet!

Here’s the other reason I don’t like social media. MLIFG (I wish I could come up with a better acronym!) It’s an acronym that stands for… My Life Is Freaking Great C’mon, how many times do you see posts or pictures about how great all of your Facebook friends’ lives are. Their kids are great, their job is awesome, they are always on vacation, they are always out partying on the weekends, blah, blah, blah. Give me a freaking break. That’s not their real life. As I heard someone say once before, that’s just their highlight reel that we see.

So many of us ‘scroll’ through Facebook and Instagram and see everyone else highlight reel and we get depressed and think: “Damn, my life stinks! What am I doing wrong?” And then we get depressed. It’s actually a fact. I’m not sure of the exact numbers, but they’ve done studies on peoples moods after going on social media and the results were many people come away depressed.

What does depression lead to? Weight gain.

Possibly eating? Possibly eating sugary or salty foods? Comfort foods? Not always but I know a lot of people who have told me they eat when they are depressed. How about your stress levels, do they go up when you are depressed? You betcha’. But I’ve got news for you, regarding your life compared to everyone else’s ‘Facebook’ life. Yours is just as good as theirs. And these MLIFG people? It’s not all rainbows for most of them. They just don’t share their struggles with everyone. In some cases, these are the people who have it the worst, but they put on this facade to make you believe everything is great.

Listen, I’m sure you are living a very productive, rewarding life and you are accomplishing great things. but if for some reason you’re not, then maybe it’s time to get off of social media. Or at least take a break from it for a few weeks, maybe a month. I will be doing the same thing. It’s all part of my new minimalism lifestyle.

Oh by the way, we are ready to make the move back to our house on Saturday and I got rid of a lot of clothes last night that won’t be going back with me! I digress.

Ditch the social media for awhile and exercise more, learn a language, play an instrument, do whatever it is you’ve been interested in doing but haven’t had the time. I’ll be learning to play the drums and reading and writing a lot more with my new found time.

Let me know what you’ll be doing with yours.