Life Without Posting on Social Media

Lately, I’ve stopped posting on Facebook altogether. I used to update it almost every day, but these days I haven’t had much to share. It’s not as though nothing happens in my life—I have plenty going on, plenty to think about, and a new challenge planned for next year. I even have things I could announce. But I’ve found myself thinking, “I don’t really need to post about it,” and then the days just go by.

Before I knew it, ten days had passed.

What would happen if I went a whole month without posting?

Would someone message me to ask, “You haven’t posted in a while—are you still alive?” No, probably not. Nobody’s keeping that close an eye on my feed. I stay in touch directly with the people I need to, and I’m sure life will go on as usual.

What Do I Want?

I’ve had this feeling before. When I reduce my contact with the outside world, I feel that I start to see more clearly what I want to do and what matters most to me.

Years ago, there was a time when I went to networking events constantly. I had dinner with people almost every night. Meeting so many people did lead to work opportunities. Given my role and circumstances back then, I felt almost driven to network and build connections as much as I could.

Then, for a particular reason, I stopped going to those events altogether. Even when people invited me, I started turning them all down with a simple, “Sorry, I can’t make it this time…”

Before long, nobody invited me anymore (-_-)

But once that happened, I realized something. At first, I felt lonely. On the other hand, with less information constantly coming my way, I could focus on what I needed to do—and I felt less uncertain. Instead of worrying about “what everyone else is doing,” I began to listen to “what I want to do”—the voice within me. I started paying attention to what my own heart was telling me.

After that, I felt like things gradually began to change.

Taking a Step Back from Social Media

To get back to the point, nothing happens if I don’t post on Facebook, and it doesn’t cause me any problems. So I’m thinking I might keep some distance from social media. I also post photos of my daughter’s kindergarten lunch on Instagram every day, but lately I often forget and don’t upload them until the evening. It made me think, “Why am I posting these at all?”

When I live without feeling tied to social media, I feel like my perspective sharpens and I can give the things that matter the attention they deserve.

Today, as I finished work and headed to the parking lot, I saw my Panamera waiting for me in the dark. Somehow, more than ever before, I felt happy—truly content.

Then I paused for a moment and started the engine. Hearing it roar to life made me feel even happier.

Being able to feel, in moments like these, “How happy I am”—that must be what leads to a richer life.

More and more. There’s still so much to do. I haven’t achieved it yet.

That feeling can be the driving force that keeps me striving. But it’s just as important to appreciate the happiness I already have in my life. This turned into a rather hard-to-pin-down blog post today.

Anyway, tomorrow night, my family and I are taking the ferry to Kyushu for a hot-spring getaway!