A friend recently asked me a fascinating question: “Michaela, what bothers you so much about social media? Why haven’t you been active for so long?” For many people—especially those who are highly active on social platforms—stepping back seems almost incomprehensible.
The reason is simple: everyday flow and mindfulness were slipping away from my life. Creating social media content, posting consistently, and simply consuming these feeds left me completely scattered. As a mother of two small children, time for myself is precious and rare. I naturally evolved into a minimalist and an essentialist when it comes to spending my time. Today, I would much rather write my book, step out into nature, or practice Portuguese.
I genuinely enjoyed creating content, but I was constantly creating on the run: while nursing, waiting in line, sitting by the sandbox, and right before falling asleep. If you had met me a year ago, you would have seen me glued to my phone. That constant distraction began to eat away at me, and I even started experiencing the symptoms of imposter syndrome.
Imposter syndrome is a psychological phenomenon in which an individual doubts their skills, talent, or achievements and has a persistent internal fear of being exposed as a fraud. Despite clear evidence of competence, those experiencing this syndrome do not believe they deserve their success or happiness.
Source: Wikipedia
I inspired others toward calm while running around like a frazzled, multitasking maniac.
I pushed things far too hard. My husband started getting jealous of my phone and Instagram feed. It simply could not go on like this. Every single day—even while on family vacation—I felt an exhausting pressure to stay visible on social media, convinced my entire business would collapse if I paused. I was trapped in intense feelings of FOMO. Have you ever experienced this?
Heavy social media consumption magnifies the nagging sensation that we are missing out on something vital. In English, this is known as FOMO (Fear of Missing Out)—the persistent anxiety that something important is passing us by while the digital world spins endlessly ahead.
On Instagram, an estimated 95 million photos and videos are published daily, and on Facebook 300 million photos! These numbers are unbelievable. Every second something new happens in the virtual world. But is that how life works? Life flows differently — slower. Something new and exciting doesn’t happen every minute, nor are we constantly missing out. In fact, every minute spent disconnected from reality and dependent on social media means missing something truly important: our own reality and the present moment. Something wonderful can happen right before our eyes — a child’s smile or a bird in flight — and we may not notice it because we’re consuming virtual reality.
Say YES to Life
Replace anxiety with the quiet joy of missing out. Saying “no” to one thing is always an emphatic “yes” to so much more. When one door closes, countless new paths open before you. Saying no to social media feeds and endless screen time means saying yes to life and pouring yourself into activities that offer deeply fulfilling rewards. I was surprised by how many international creators openly share that stepping away from social media became one of the best decisions they ever made. I am proud to count myself among them.
You can weave JOMO (Joy of Missing Out) into every corner of your life. It means building the courage to say no to everything that feels hollow or out of alignment with your vision. When I stopped consuming and producing social media content, I also began turning down collaboration offers that felt misaligned with the true essence of my project. At first, turning down paid opportunities felt scary, but my intuition pointed me in the right direction. I learned to practice JOMO with social events that drained my joy or where my presence felt forced. Standing firmly behind yourself without people-pleasing brings immense relief. It restores your vitality and puts an end to the exhausting cycle of racing the clock and feeling chronically behind. It silences the dread that life is slipping through your fingers.
That is why I remain offline. Beyond nurturing my family, I pour my focus into writing, allowing the deeper framework of Healing Tidying™ to unfold in full depth. Writing hundreds of pages energizes me, restores my peace, and keeps my mind clear. I deeply believe I don’t need to perform acrobatics around storage bins in 15-second reels just to deliver meaningful, transformative content. Will I ever return to social platforms? I cannot say. My current feeling toward social media resembles an ex-smoker who cannot stand the smell of a lit cigarette. Perhaps that aversion will soften over time, but one truth is certain: I will never run on that hamster wheel like before.
Take an honest look at how much precious time social media claims from your days. When I look at the calm that has returned to my life and the book that now exists in the world, there is so much I am genuinely grateful to miss out on.
You can explore the full Healing Tidying™ book and order your copy HERE.
