Today, I deleted Instagram...

Today, I deleted Instagram from my phone. This wasn't a rash decision. I'd been planning to leave the app since I read Stolen Focus: Why You Can't Pay Attention by Johann Hari this fall.

But, as my self-imposed deadline of December 31 inched closer, I started to get nervous about parting ways with my small following. Which, I’ll be honest, made me feel more important than I am. I’d nearly convinced myself that the universe was telling me not to leave.

In the weeks before I signed out of the app, I’d gained 200 new followers. That’s more followers than I had in the past year.

Since I shared publically that I’d be leaving the app, my screen time skyrocketed as I binged and doom-scrolled to get my fill.

I wondered aloud to my husband, “How will everyone know what breed the dogs are when we get their DNA tests back?”

And then I realized—no one cares.

And if they do, they’ve decided to keep up with me elsewhere.

And then, an even bigger realization…

If my brand can’t exist without this app, is it even a brand at all?

And that was the nail in the coffin—the final boost of confidence I needed to get the hell off the app.

I’ve spent years building my brand. And yes, I am cringing at the fact that I am calling myself a brand, but it’s true. I’ve built a reputation as a brand strategist, as a trusted consultant, and even as a lifelong friend. None of that, however, hinges on Instagram. My brand is built on hard work, genuine connections, and the courage to voice unpopular opinions (in the digital sphere and real life).

Why am I sharing this? Maybe as a self-soothing mechanism, a distraction from the urge to check the likes on my "goodbye" post.

But more than that, I’m writing this to say if you feel like you have to be on Instagram to grow your business, to build your brand, or to stay connected, chances are you don’t. But the infinite scroll is much easier than existing in real life.

I, too, would rather like 2,000 photos than set up systems and processes to help me close more deals.

I would much prefer to have 10,000 followers (an arbitrary number, by the way!) than bear the emotional burden of forming 100 meaningful connections that will refer me for years to come.

I would rather throw my achievements into the online void than solicit client feedback and sift through the nuances that come with it. But hey, instant gratification has its perks.

Will I be back with my tail between my legs in a few weeks?

Maybe! But I hope not.

If I do, feel free to say, "I told you so," preferably in an Instagram comment.

P.S. If you’ve been considering leaving Instagram or any other social network, I highly recommend these resources.

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• Low Energy Leads by Lex Roman

• Stolen Focus: Why You Can’t Pay Attention — and How to Think Deeply Again by Johann Hari