My Experience with President Nelson’s Social Media Fast Challenge

What is a social media fast? Simply put, a social media fast is choosing to not look at, or post on any social media platforms for 7 consecutive days.

Things I experienced during my time off social media:

• I felt free. I was less distracted and more productive, and therefore less stressed out, not stress free but at least the stress wasn’t constant either.
• I was more present with the people around me. I directly contacted/and connected with people on a conversational level rather than casual talk. Because of that some relationships we’re developed and others were strengthened.
• I was able to live my life AS IT IS without comparing it to my friends’ “lives.”
• I was able to see my hard times as times that all mothers and wives face.
• I honestly felt less alone in my struggles because I wasn’t watching everyone else’s highlight reel all day. (though I think I can also attribute that to seriously studying my scriptures every night)

5 changes I want to make:

1. If I am looking at social media it needs to be only stuff that positively fills my soul.
2. Facebook needs to go for good. There’s just too much noise and extra stuff that doesn’t fill me. I will still push things over from Instagram but I won’t be over there much if at all.
3. Fast from it when it becomes a hindrance rather than a good thing in my life. Deleting the app is important!
4. Delete the app when busy times are coming up so that there’s no unnecessary distraction keeping me up later at night or preventing me from being present/productive.
5. Don’t feel like you HAVE to post something EVERY DAY. I got into this rut as I’m trying to build an audience for my YouTube Channel. … The good stuff will come naturally and the audience will be there if they are interested in what you have to say. YOU will attract your real audience.

President Russell M. Nelson and Sister Wendy W. Nelson held a Worldwide Youth Devotional

• June 3, 2018 • Conference Center, Salt Lake City, Utah

Want to watch the devotional for yourself?

Want to learn more about The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and who President Russell M. Nelson and Sister Wendy W. Nelson are? You can learn about them at any of the following links:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdNj…

www.churchofjesuschrist.org

www.churchofjesuschrist.org/comeuntochrist

Here are excerpts I quoted:

“disengage from a constant reliance on social media, in order to decrease its worldly influence upon you. . . if you are paying more attention to feeds from social media than you are to the whisperings of the Spirit, then you are putting yourself at spiritual risk—as well as the risk of experiencing intense loneliness and depression.”

“Another downside of social media is that it creates a false reality. Everyone posts their most fun, adventurous, and exciting pictures, which create the erroneous impression that everyone except you is leading a fun, adventurous, and exciting life. Much of what appears in your various social media feeds is distorted, if not fake.”

“Initially he was furious with his parents, but after just a few days, he thanked them for taking his smartphone away. He said, ‘I feel free for the first time in a long time.’ “

“Choose seven consecutive days and go for it! See if you notice any difference in how you feel and what you think, and even how you think, during those seven days. After seven days, notice if there are some things you want to stop doing and some things you now want to start doing.”