• I joined Instagram in 2012 but over time my feed had turned into a toxic disaster.
• I was spending three to four hours scrolling daily, purchasing useless products, and feeling anxious.
• I fell into Instagram’s fitness trap, and escaping took me over a year.

About three years ago, I realized that much of my feed was causing me anxiety, imposter syndrome, and what I refer to as “intense comparisonitis.”

I was concentrating on a fitness journey, but my feed had become cluttered with pictures of influencers flaunting unattainable bodies, promoting protein shakes, and sharing naked selfies in Bali.

I reluctantly admit that I purchased vitamins that I ended up discarding, a trendy workout outfit due to a discount, and an influencer’s e-book.

These expenditures only added to my physical and emotional mess. The vitamins failed to improve my skin, the workout outfit didn’t motivate me to exercise, and the advice in the ebook was something I could find on Google.

Therefore, I decided to take action. I needed to do some serious unfollowing, clear out my feed, and digitally clean my house.

I tumbled into Instagram’s fitness vortex

On August 23rd, 2012, I shared an artistically grainy picture of my parents’ cocker spaniel on Instagram. It received one like.

Those early moments of lightly filtered, artfully angled, and bordered photos seem like a thing of the past.

How did it transition from innocent posts of friends and meals to damaging hours of what has now been labeled “doom scrolling?”

My experience began gradually. Just like physical clutter, accumulating a feed that undermines your self-esteem doesn’t occur overnight. It all commenced with a focus on fitness and health.

Much like many millennial women who bought into the narrative of the “bikini body,” I became attracted to workouts that required no equipment and discovered many influencers sharing free content related to fitness, nutrition, and health.

Daily, I would spend at least three to four hours on Instagram, neglecting what truly mattered to me, like reading and writing.

Initially, I defended the time spent. It appeared to enhance my fitness journey. Eventually, I began following accounts more focused on the appearance of a fitness lifestyle rather than real fitness.

Courtney Carver sparked my digital decluttering motivation

The push to declutter my Instagram sprang from a wardrobe change.

While preparing for an upcoming trip, I aimed to assemble a capsule wardrobe and stumbled upon Courtney Carver’s “Project 333,” which is her minimalist fashion challenge that encourages dressing with only 33 items for three months.

Yet, it was Carver’s “31 Days of Gifts You So Deserve” list that ignited my digital decluttering journey.

Carver’s list includes suggestions for the holiday season, such as crafting a relaxing playlist, enjoying a “do not disturb” day, and — the one that truly resonated — evaluating digital clutter.

I revamped my Instagram feed

In 2022, every time I encountered a post that didn’t resonate with my new aim of decluttering and embracing joy, I unfollowed the creator.

My rules were straightforward: any account that brought me down, didn’t align with my values, or failed to provide joy was unfollowed. I was merciless.

Subsequently, I refined my feed by seeking out new accounts, much like how I would curate my wardrobe. It took me at least a year to convert my Instagram feed into a source of joy.

I unfollowed 50 to 75 accounts, including some old friends. Also, I added 50 to 75 new accounts and began following hashtags related to dogs, teaching strategies, gluten-free baking, motivational quotes, writing tips, artwork, or travel.

In the end, I didn’t have to give up my fitness journey either. I discovered more genuine fitness accounts and a vast community of midsize fashion influencers.

Additionally, the joy from my feed encouraged me to explore new activities, such as trying a gluten-free crustless pumpkin pie recipe that turned out great and increased my low self-esteem in cooking.

Now, when I browse my feed, I don’t scroll for long before discovering something that makes me laugh, stimulates my thoughts, or inspires my creativity.

I feel I’ve reclaimed a portion of what makes Instagram genuinely precious — like watching a video of an older Italian man cycling with his three poodles.