Social Media is Junk Food
Sick and alone in my house, I feel a tide of change coming. As I have moved through the world publicly, I’ve had to make hard decisions that have put me at odds with different people in my community.
It’s an interesting sensation when you see close friends being friendly with people who you know despise you. It’s not a common occurrence, but when it happens, it hits hard.
That’s just one reason why social media is not healthy for me. As Theodore Roosevelt put it,
“Comparison is the thief of joy.”
On a deeper level, I’ve been reflecting on my social media use—both because of the political climate and its impact on my ability to reach my goals. Social media is a cheap substitute for human interaction, yet it is slowly trying to become the status quo for communication and connection. And they wonder why there’s a loneliness epidemic.
I’ve found myself acting like an addict when it comes to social media—even needing to lock my phone away for hours at a time to prevent distraction.
All this to say:
I need space to focus on my dreams, strengthen my skills, and move forward in the direction I need to go.
I probably won’t fully delete my social media, but I may only post once every couple of months.
That being said,
I have to replace this artificial connection with real connection. So today, I’m making a commitment: to be more present in real-life social spaces that inspire me.
To be brave and meet new people, even if it’s awkward.
I’m just tired of giving my energy to these platforms. I’m tired of being addicted to them. I want to be strong—for myself, my family, and my community.
I’ll be continuing my newsletter and relaunching my podcast. So if you want to stay in touch, send me an email at thomassagepedersen@gmail.com, and I’ll send you my number. If you want to stay up to date, subscribe to my monthly newsletter here: