Digital detoxing may be the hardest diet of the year.
It's hard for many of us to picture an unpublicized life. If you didn't post it, did it really happen? Does the memory hold the same value when it's not accompanied by a host of likes and comments? Digital FOMO is a real thing. Yet, research shows that taking a break from social media can lead to better sleep, deeper friendships and stronger posture.
Many celebrities have made their social media addictions public, vowing to step away from their social channels. On her website, Zendaya made a digital detox part of her New Year's Resolutions, after her mother posted a photo with the caption: "Dinner with Zendaya and her phone." With similar sentiments, Kendall Jenner, Selena Gomez, Tina Knowles and Kerry Washington are just a few that took the journey offline, and we learned a few things along the way.
1. Self-Validation Is Key
After taking a 90-day hiatus, Selena Gomez reappeared at the 2016 American Music Awards, where she won "Favorite Rock/Pop Female Artist." The singer then explained that stepping away gave her the inner strength she needed after feeling inauthentic and "broken inside." Gomez continued by directly addressing her fans on Instagram: "I don't want to see your bodies on Instagram. I want to see what's in here," she said while pointing to her heart. "I'm not trying to get validation, nor do I need it anymore."
Thank you, Selena, for reminding us that Instagram is not a place for validation, but rather sharing the people, places and things that you love!
2. Don't Acknowledge the Drama
Beyoncé and Solange's mother, Tina Knowles, reminded us that the digital world is messy and temperamental, when she announced her digital detox after accidentally liking the comment "Jhud sounds horrible" under a video from a Dreamgirls performance.
"I think if you look through my Instagram you'll see that I am not a hater and I am not negative about people so to Jennifer for my mistake of accidentally touching it which I don't remember doing I really apologize I totally love and Admire you❤️," says Knowles in the caption of a video posted to her Instagram. "I'd have to be pretty stupid to do that knowing it would be everywhere, but I will be taking a break from social media as this is the bad side of it. There are people who make their living off of negativity."
3. Engage IRL
To the astonishment of her 71 million Instagram followers, Kendall Jenner deleted her account, making global news. She then appeared on The Ellen Degeneres Show to explain her hiatus from the social platform. The supermodel told audiences, "I suggest it. I'm away from my phone so much more. You start to engage in real life and how you have to deal with real people right in front of you, so it's kind of really nice to be away from it even if it's just Instagram."
It's time to put down those phones and spend quality time with the people that you care about.
4. It's OK to Be Quiet and Still
With a drawing of a heart in the sand, Scandal star Kerry Washington told her Instagram followers that she was "feeling called to be a bit more quiet and still." Known for live tweeting, the actress is in daily communication with millions of people, from fans to haters. Living with a constant influx of voices can be draining for anyone. So we definitely don't blame the mother of two for stepping away for some quiet time.
Social media is a beautiful invention that has given everyone a voice. But, if you're waking up to social media, updating feeds throughout the day and going to sleep watching the lives of others, you may be missing out on your own.
This just might be the New Year's resolution that we all need.