Once upon a time, I too dreamt of social media fame, fixated on numbers and churning out content for a hamster wheel algorithm. But somewhere along the way, I forgot about my initial goal. And I asked myself ” What if ‘big’ wasn’t where my happiness lay?”
Here’s why I decided to step off the hamster wheel of social media growth:
Passion, Not Performance:
My initial spark was passion, the joy of creating and sharing. But the pressure to pump out content and keep up with video trends overshadowed that joy. With the social media trends changing almost every season, I couldn’t catch up. I tried a couple and then I just didn’t care anymore. Being a person who lives with intention and loving the slowness of life, I just decided to continue with what I most feel authentically myself.
Community, Not Competition:
The focus on subscriber counts fostered a sense of competition, creating distance from the very people I wanted to connect with. Who doesn’t dream about having a community to share and support each other? I have a very tiny community online but I am okay with sharing with them because they are here to be present for me, as I would for them 🙂
Freedom, Not Formula:
I honestly don’t want to stay conformed to what I already know and do. I still feel like I have so much to grow and learn. There is a yearn to experiment, explore different formats, and express myself authentically. Haven’t found a way to make a “popular” video yet and not sure if I’ll ever get there.
Sanity, Not Stress:
The constant need to “be on” can take a toll on me. I don’t like to work round the clock, so why I should put that pressure for my social media channels? Checking everyday to see if I grew or have a longer watch rate can become a burden. It’s a burden that I don’t want. My mental well-being is more important.
So, what now?
I’m reclaiming my passion. I want to continue to create and share my creations with you as much as I can. I do have a busy family and work life, so making time to blog, draw, film and edit has been scattered in the little pockets of time I can find. Numbers don’t mean anything to me anymore.
The most important thing is that I can provide you something inspirational and motiving to help you in your life.
I have a very tiny following on all my social media channels. I post when I can and yet I can’t seem to grow much but I don’t sweat that anymore. As long as I can share some tiny bits of wisdom with you, then I know I have done my part on this earth. 🙂
If you’re feeling the same, remember:
- Your worth isn’t defined by follower count.
- Find joy in the process, not the numbers.
- Authenticity resonates more than trends.
- Your well-being matters more than the algorithm.
It’s okay to step off the hamster wheel, reclaim your passion, and define your own success. It might not be viral, but it’ll be truly yours.