Social media is great for entertainment, and most of us use it to find information and inspiration, or get motivation from fellow IVF warriors; or all of the above.
However it can also bring you down a rabbit hole of negative thoughts.
I question myself sometimes being on the gram because I’m a private person. And I’m an introvert in all aspects of life including social media. There was a point in 2021 when I wanted to delete my account. That was when I was deep in the trenches of my IVF cycle.
For some reason, baby pictures and pregnancy announcements were popping up, plus stories of fellow IVF warriors successfully getting pregnant while I was still struggling.
In the real world, I’ve learnt to say no to friends and activities that gives out negative energy for the sake of my mental health. (and sanity)
And if I can set boundaries in my social life, why not set boundaries in my social media activities?
Social media on its own, is already an energy zapper. It sucks all the goodness out of life, and makes us zombies and we get so stuck in the mindless scrolling sometimes, that it affects relationship with our loved ones, makes us lethargic, hurt our eyes, and we still do it because it is an effective coping mechanism, at least for me.
So if you have to be on social media for whatever reason, no judgement, here are my tips on how you set boundaries and release the toxic energy from this part of your life
Create a desire statement This is a great emotional wellness strategy to create your desire statement or statements that can serves as a reminder as to why you are on this journey. And when you take that mindful pause to look at what you wrote, automatically your heart rate will slow down, thus resetting your mood, your energy shifts, and it creates space for you to focus on what's thriving in your life
Become a timekeeper: Social media can be a real time suck. Set daily time limits on your phone or within the apps themselves. This will help you stay conscious of how much time you're spending scrolling and give you more time for activities that energize you.
Curate your feed: Instagram serves people content based on several factors, one of them being keyword search. So If you wish to limit the pregnancy news or baby pictures, start typing text of things you want to see - like kittens, puppies, self-care quotes etc
Unfollow, mute and block strategically: Don't hesitate to unfollow, mute or block accounts that trigger you, even if they're close contacts.
Take social media vacations: When you're feeling triggered, do a social media break, for as long as you need. I've done a couple, unplanned ones over the years, and it has been so healing for my peace of mind. Or schedule breaks from social media altogether. This could be a digital detox weekend or just designated phone-free times during the day. Give yourself space to breathe and reconnect with the world outside the screen.
Be kind to yourself and others The IVF journey can be unkind to our body and our mental and emotional health, so all the more, we need to focus on things, people or posts that gives us joy and inspiration. Avoid being negative on your posts and comments. “if there’s nothing good to say, then don’t say anything” . Put your phone away, and go for a walk or get cuddles from a loved one!
By setting boundaries on social media, you create a safe space to nurture your precious energy and cultivate the hope and resilience you need on your fertility journey. Don't be afraid to experiment and find what works best for you. You've got this!
Head over to the comments below and share your favorite social media self-care tip! Let's support each other in creating a more positive and empowering online experience.
