Hi there,

Lately, I’ve been talking with a few friends who are either quitting Instagram or seriously cutting down their screen time. And in those conversations, I’ve caught myself admitting something more than once: sometimes, I think I’d be happier without it.

Our clothes, the way we speak, how we behave, what we tolerate — have you ever thought about how much of that is shaped by Instagram, TikTok, Twitter?

• Trends arrive through influencer posts.

• Our slang changes as fast as our phone updates.

• The places we go, the food we eat, even the hobbies we pick have to be aesthetic.

• We can’t stand boredom anymore; dinner tables feel dull without a screen, and our nervous systems crave the next hit of dopamine.

And yet — I still believe what’s coming is better than what’s gone. But that doesn’t mean we can’t bring a few old habits back with us. Think about what you used to do before the internet became so omnipresent:

Did you visit friends more often? Wait for things with more patience? Read more books? Pay more attention? Feel less anxious? What if you did a bit more of that now? Would it make you feel better?

My intention this week isn’t to romanticize the past or spark chaos in your mind — it’s the opposite. It’s an invitation to reflect: How are you spending your time? Do you actually feel good spending it that way? And are the things you do, wear, or think really yours — or just what the algorithm told you to want?

What I am trying to do more often these days, once in a while, is asking myself: If I didn’t have the internet, how would I do this? How would it be done before?

You might find more creative, grounded, and authentic answers than you expect.

With love,
M.