why i returned to instagram after a 4-year break
After long four years since I deleted my page 'forever', I got back on Instagram. Why did I delete it in the first place? Because social media leads to depression, anxiety, and poor self-image. Plus, I was spending up to 4 hours a day scrolling away. It didn’t feel like a good use of time. So why I am back?
Building a personal brand
Being an entrepreneur and not having an audience is like selling running shoes in a town of cripples. I rely on LinkedIn for networking and sales, and nearly all our bookings come from there. More than cold emails. More than phone calls. Instagram is as good of a tool for both, personal and business reasons.
Recovering old connections
Over the years, I’ve lost touch with a lot of people, including family and close friends. With many of them I shared childhood and adolescence. Despite being an introvert, I am still a social creature. We all are. Until recently, people lived in tribes and villages, devoting their entire lives to the community, caring for one another and raising each other's children. We live in a lonely world, no need to make it more so.
Dating
This may seem like a minor reason, but it’s worth mentioning. So many times I was asked to exchange instagrams when approaching people in public. Women aren't comfortable giving their phone numbers, and they have their reasons to it. They want social proof before they go on a date. And because I don't want to shoot myself in the foot, now they'll have as much social proof as they want.
Getting ready for new projects
I have a lot of ideas in the works — some crazier than others — and you’ll hear about them soon. Instagram offers a different format to showcase these projects. While I still love writing here, Instagram is visual, and I am a visual person myself. So, it’s time to embrace it.
Go follow me at @theonlyshilin (Yes, it took me 3 hours to pick that name, but sometimes you just have to pat perfectionism on the back and say, “Not today, perfectionism, not today.”)
P.S. After re-reading what I wrote, I feel like I didn't address the depression and anxiety part of it, so I will come back to it in the next posts.