What happens when we stop trying to capture every moment and start fully living our lives?
For a long time, I loved sharing my life online. I loved taking pictures, documenting milestones, and letting people into the little moments that made me happy. Social media gave me a way to connect with others and celebrate the things happening in my life.
But over time, I noticed a shift.
I stopped fully enjoying moments and instead found myself already thinking about how I would share them.
Would this make a good post?
Would people enjoy seeing this?
Should I take a picture before I forget?
God recently taught me something:
A moment does not become more meaningful just because someone else sees it. Some moments are beautiful simply because I was there for them.
A New Season of Life
I think this lesson has been especially meaningful because I’m entering such a new season of life.
I’m not the same Adriana I was five years ago. Back then, I was still learning how to understand myself, accept my autism diagnosis, and find confidence in who God created me to be. I was searching for belonging and validation in a lot of places.
Today, my life looks very different. My relationship with God is stronger, I’m happily married, and I’m preparing to become a mom.
Looking back, I can see how much God has grown me and matured my heart.
As I prepare to welcome my son into the world, I’ve found myself thinking less about how I want to document this season and more about how I want to experience it.
Learning to Use Social Media Intentionally
Social media is not the enemy. I actually still enjoy it!
I’ve met wonderful people through it, shared exciting seasons of my life, and loved having a digital scrapbook of memories.
But I also have to admit that I wasn’t always using it intentionally.
There were definitely seasons where I was living to post instead of posting because I was living.
I would go places, experience something exciting, or have a meaningful moment and immediately think about how I could turn it into content.
Now, I don’t want to spend my life constantly preparing moments for an audience. I want to be fully present for the moments themselves.
What My Social Media Fast Taught Me
Earlier this year, I decided to do a 21-day social media fast.
And wow… the first few days were rough.
My phone was often the first thing I reached for in the morning and the last thing I looked at before bed. I didn’t realize how much mental space social media was taking up until I stepped away from it.
During that time, I was surprised by how much room I had created in my life.
I had more time for creative projects. I was able to focus better at work, at church, and in my everyday responsibilities. I found myself wanting to spend more time doing things that energized me and brought me joy.
In many ways, this blog came from that season.
One of the biggest surprises was realizing how much I actually enjoyed the quiet.
I used to think boredom was something I needed to escape, but I learned that quiet moments give us space to notice, create, and simply be.
My prayer life changed too. Instead of rushing through prayer just to check it off my to-do list, I found myself spending more intentional time with God.
I also rediscovered the joy of wholesome hobbies like writing, blogging, reading, learning new things, and nesting.
Now that I’m back on social media, I still enjoy being there. But I want to use it intentionally instead of automatically.
Protecting What Is Precious
Motherhood has also made me think differently about what I want to share.
My son’s life will belong first to him, our family, and God. His story will be his own, and I want to be thoughtful about the pieces of that story I share with the world.
That doesn’t mean I’ll never share pictures or special moments. I know I’ll want to celebrate my family and share pieces of this beautiful season with others.
But I want sharing to come from joy, not pressure.
I want my first instinct to be experiencing the moment, not documenting it.
I’m not leaving social media behind, but I am learning how to use it differently.
I want to live a life that is full and meaningful whether or not anyone else sees it.
A life filled with conversations, prayers, laughter, family time, quiet mornings, and memories that never make it online.
There is so much freedom and peace in that!
I’m grateful God is teaching me that a simpler life is not a smaller life.
It is a life with more room for the people, moments, and things that truly matter.
Colossians 3:2 (ESV)
“Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.”
Matthew 6:33 (ESV)
“But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”
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