As I sit and look at the steps I’ve taken to remove myself from social media and into “recovery,” I find myself feeling grief.

Grief.

Whew, that’s a big word. It holds so much weight and so much emotion.

I’m not unfamiliar with grief. In fact, I’d tell you I’m well acquainted with it. And yet, I was still surprised when grief showed up in the process of letting go of social media and embracing true connection.

Understanding This Kind of Grief

Now let me stop right here and say, the grief I’m talking about isn’t me beating myself up and calling it grief. No, this is self-reflection. It’s the kind that calls out the sadness of lost time for what it is, and then chooses not to let that be the story moving forward.

As I sit curled up in my car thinking about all the time I spent on social media, time I could have been present in a moment right in front of me or connecting with someone who needed me (or maybe even someone I needed), I simply feel grief.

Grief for time lost.

Grief for connection missed.

Grief for moments I’ll never get to redo or be right in the middle of again.

The Wake-Up Moment

You see, the addiction I personally had to social media had gotten so bad those last few weeks that I found myself checking on my favorite content creator multiple times a day just to see if she was okay because she was going through something.

Here’s the problem.

Someone I actually know, someone I see regularly, may have been going through something too, and I could have been there for them.

But now, I’ll never know.

That realization broke something open in me.

What Comes After the Grief?

So now that you’ve examined the grief, maybe had a good cry, and even gotten a little mad, what comes next?

Two things, my friend.

1. Forgiveness

Yes, you heard me right: forgiveness.

You have to choose, right here and now, to forgive yourself.

Forgive yourself for being so consumed with social media that it cost you something so precious, time. Time you’ll never get back.

Forgive yourself for allowing it to get as far as it did. You didn’t know what you didn’t know. And now that you do, you get to make a new choice.

2. A Simple Plan

Once you’ve done that, when you’re ready, I want you to grab a pen and paper.

Begin to write out how you want to do things differently from here on out. Get honest with yourself, and be practical. This doesn’t need to be some elaborate, unrealistic plan. No rigid to-do list that sets you up to fail. Just simple, intentional change.

Mine looks like three bullet points and a few sentences about what I’d like to see done differently.

Then take this week to start living it out. Don’t rush it. Don’t pressure yourself to get it perfect. Just take one step at a time.

This Is a Journey

Recovery from social media isn’t a one-day accomplishment. It’s a process, a slow, honest, beautiful reclaiming of your time, attention, and peace.

It will take something that the online world rarely asks of us.

Time.

This Week’s Reflection

As you think about your own journey, ask yourself:

• What moments have I grieved because I was distracted or disconnected?
• What does forgiveness look like for me in this area?
• What three simple, realistic steps can I take this week to start living more present?

Write them down.

Pray over them.

And remember, this is a journey, not a race. Grace will meet you in every step forward.