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I’ve been reading a lot lately about how 2026 is the Analog year. Were we bring back all the things we stopped doing and replaced with screens, before everything was so digital.
Basic things like reading books and magazines, doing puzzles, staring into space, hosting dinner parties and whatever hobbies we used to spend more time on. Making phone calls instead of texting, using pen and paper instead of the notes app, journaling, baking and maybe playing an instrument.
Before Christmas I was already feeling this pull to get off the screens. One of my daughters did no scroll November and I decided to join in. I failed. So then, I set some time limits for my screen time and it helped but still I would absentmindedly find myself scrolling. Ugh.
And lately, social media hasn’t felt very social. Instead it’s like one giant advertisement for protein, red lights and Amazon hauls. Beyond that, everything feels political and divisive. I miss the days of people posting pictures of their pets, dinners and scores on candy crush. I miss reading blog posts instead of five second video snippets of information on instagram or tik tok.
I want real life. Conversations over coffee or the phone, messy and imperfect. I want to have books in my hand instead of my phone. I want to listen to my husband playing the guitar or the piano. I don’t want to know 500 different peoples thoughts on 400 different subjects. I want deep conversations with a few people who I know and care about that also care about me. I want to spend my time doing things that bring me joy, peace and fulfillment.
Sometimes I wish I could bring my kids back to the 90s so they could see what my life was like as a teenager. We had the best time! Yes, we were bored sometimes but we made our own fun.
I’m tired of screens, tired of perfectly curated feeds, lives, opinions, and noise. And yes, the irony is not lost on me that I am posting my life, words and opinion on a screen.
I wonder what would happen if we all turned off our phones? If we talked to faces instead of screens?
I’m about to find out, at least for myself. No more social media after I post this, I’ve already gone offline and it’s been glorious! I feel so free! We used to escape to social media and now, I’m escaping from social media. I know it can be useful and people say they like to keep it for connection, but honestly, I think it’s a lie. It’s disconnecting us from life. I don’t want to look back one day and think, I wasted my precious time watching other people live.
We only get one life friends! Let’s get off our phones and live!
I could not agree more! I’ve really been feeling this. I deleted FB for the same reasons you’ve mentioned. I want to live a slower life again