My 1 year life without social media.

Do I miss checking newsfeeds? What’s trending on Twitter? Or the latest IG posts from my friends? Do I get bored with regular life? Life without the constant ding ding of notifications?

Before I answer that, let me take you back to the glory days of social media. Life was good. Social media was new, shiny, and exciting. Everyone was either trying to figure out how to use it or learning how to use it from their cool, tech-savvy friends.

Social media was, in theory, a place to socialize, right? Like, that’s what it was made for. I mean, who needs real-life interactions when you can connect with literally anyone from the comfort of your bed, in your pajamas, with a phone in hand? Exactly.

I was privileged enough to meet some fantastic friends on Facebook. In fact, many of them eventually became my best friends. Honestly, Facebook felt like a virtual family reunion — except, you know, no awkward hugs or that weird aunt who always talks about her cats.

At the time, social media was the thing. Instagram hadn’t even reached full influencer mode yet, so I was still hanging out on Facebook, Twitter, and WhatsApp. Wait, does WhatsApp count as social media? Hmmm… Good question. Let’s just roll with it.

Facebook was my virtual home. I woke up in the morning, groggily reached for my phone, and BAM! Facebook greeted me like a warm cup of coffee, keeping me in bed for hours and somehow making me late for everything — especially life. No regrets.

In those early social media days, I thought, “How could I ever live without this?” It was my new obsession, a dopamine hit wrapped in emojis, likes, and sweet comments. I had mastered the art of posting memes, tagging friends, and navigating those tricky group chats. It was a beautiful world of notifications, shares, and endless scrolling.

But, hold up, let’s talk about dating on social media. I mean, come on — being a teenage boy with access to hundreds of girls at the click of a button? That’s every guy’s dream, right? (Disclaimer: No, not all teenage boys are this cocky, but some of us… were. Okay, fine, I was.)

Back then, social media dating was like high-speed love. You could start a relationship with someone from across the world while simultaneously keeping up with 10 others. A dream! Right? (Okay, not really. More like a dream that slowly morphed into a Netflix documentary about “young adults who thought they had it all together but didn’t.”)

NOTE: In the Somali region back then, social media was basically like chatting and connecting with friends. There were no other jobs. I wasn’t exactly CEO-ing on LinkedIn. But hey, what better way to practice chatting than with random strangers on the internet?

Back to dating: I was a privileged social media dater. My sweet personality (read: cockiness and jokes) and my “photogenic” looks helped a lot (although I did a LOT of editing on my photos). Those were the days. I was living my best life — or at least, my best virtual life.

But eventually… oh boy… reality set in. Like, full-on reality. I realized switching from one relationship to another wasn’t as fun as it seemed, and constantly posting pictures and random thoughts just felt… silly. My real life needed attention, but I was too busy sharing every second of my life online. Whoops.

So, I made a change. I graduated, and it was time to get serious. I needed to step away from the digital chaos and start living in the real world — danger, uncertainty, rejections, and meeting real people. I started a business. Spoiler alert: My first business failed spectacularly. Not because of money, strategy, or execution, but because of lack of discipline. I was addicted to social media, and that addiction was like a constant itch I couldn’t scratch.

Business needed focus — something I didn’t have. Ego was a monster I couldn’t shake off either. I even tried digital marketing, but guess what? The digital focus stayed in the land of scrolling through memes and chasing likes.

So, what did I do? I made the big decision — I deleted the apps. Cold turkey. I had no idea what to do with myself. At first, I felt like I was breaking up with my main girl — and that’s when the withdrawals hit hard. Ding ding, come back to me!

But eventually, I got busy. I started reading, going to meetings, taking business training. I was learning how to interact with real people, how to negotiate, how to make partnerships. I started to enjoy life in the real world. No notifications, no instant validation — just real conversations.

Fast forward 8 months, and my life had changed. I felt alive! I was energetic, focused, and actually getting results. My business was still a work in progress, but at least it was moving. And the best part? I was okay with failure. Like, actually okay with it. Failure wasn’t something to fear anymore. I had embraced it. I had befriended it. And honestly, it was kind of cute.

But here’s the funny part: I still had about 2000 friends on social media, and I hadn’t posted a thing. Not a single like, comment, or meme. And guess what? Hardly anyone noticed my absence. Except for a few true friends — those who actually hung out with me in real life, who I saw outside of social media. That’s when I realized the truth: social media life is mostly fake. Fake friends, fake photos, fake personalities. It’s like everyone’s auditioning for a role in a show they’re not even getting paid to star in.

So, here’s what I learned: Real-life friends are better. Real interactions beat fake likes. And if you don’t believe me, try it. Ditch the social media for a while. You’ll find out who your real friends are — and your brain will thank you for the break from endless scrolling.

But, of course, I still miss it sometimes. Don’t lie, I know you miss it too. But here’s the thing: I defeated the social media drug. I tested real life without the constant urge to update my followers about every cup of coffee I drank. Achievement unlocked.

Now, I’m busy doing things that actually matter — conversations with real people, reading books that don’t come with a “like” button, and focusing on what’s important. Social media doesn’t have the control anymore.

It’s weird how we post our “best selves” online, but deep down, no one cares. And if they do, it’s probably because they’re jealous, not genuinely happy for us.

So, here’s my challenge to you: Can you delete your social media accounts for a year? Do a Dopamine Fast. It’s hard. It’s painful. But trust me, it’s worth it.

Thank you for reading. Now, go take a walk or read a book — or whatever it is that doesn’t come with a notification. 😉