No. 75: What Happens When You Open Instagram Two Years After Quitting the Platform?

Short answer: nothing. Long answer: everything.

Over two years ago now, I deleted the Instagram app and decided to stop my role and pursuit of social media influencer. That being said, it might surprise you to know that I still open the app at least once a week.

For the first year off the app, I needed complete distance from it. My eyes and mind were exhausted by those squares and carousels and I couldn’t take it even for another day. Reels had just become a thing as I was transitioning off Instagram and I can’t even imagine how much more overwhelmed I would have been by their priority and presence in my pocket.

In the midst of this time, I downloaded and opened the app maybe three times. The first was to announce my two month break would actually be an indefinite break (thanks to my friend Gretchen saying, “I’m getting some questions on where you are, maybe you should make an announcement?”) The second was to announce the E-Book that was born out of questions from that community and the third was to check where certain vendors would be for my trip to Round Top. In those instances, I downloaded the app, recorded and shared whatever stories were necessary, responded to a few DMs and promptly deleted it again, not touching it for months on end.