I have a completely free 14-day journaling course that will help you act more purposefully in the things you do every day. Its called 14 Days To Purpose: abrahamdiop.kartra.com/page/FLA18
i actually love how simple your videos are: no flashy edits, just a guy calmly talking to his camera. i miss when most youtube videos used to be exactly like this. i used to be (and probably still unconsciously am) addicted to overstimulating content, but after taking a break and avoiding it, it somehow became too much for me to take in and now i prefer "basic" content like yours (i mean, the editing and all is basic but the content itself definitely isn't).
I recommend NiMiLovesYou if you like that type of content. He doesn't edit or anything, js talks about his life experiences and gives advice. One of my favorite channels on yt rn
I love how relatable this is. Social media has been boring but it’s hard to stay off because of the constant fix. You scroll and it’s another video with new but unimportant information. 100% support this journey for who’s ever watching, there more to life than this rectangular screen.
I agree. I know I’m mindlessly scrolling but I still do it. Listening but not really listening. My screen time has been at 13hr a day sometimes. And I don’t work online. It’s either movies but majorly mindless scrolling.
bro you better start knowing what to say, trust me make this the core purpsoe in your life You need to start knowing what to say you have to please you have to@@theabrahamdiop
I am a 35 year old woman and I must say... you sir are quite wise and actualized for your age. I don't know who raised you but they did one HELL of a damn good job. Your content is wonderful. Thank you for creating these videos for us to consume.
I’m so overstimulated that I put this in my watch later first and had to force myself to watch it because I know this is so true and one of my biggest problems that nobody talks about 😭
This video made me realize how much of my anxiety is probably caused by the fast-paced and overstimulating nature of shorts. I struggle pretty severely with daily anxiety and this video helped me feel more “normal” and calm. I very rarely, if at all, feel that way anymore. I want this year to truly be different and I want to have goals and dreams again. I want to be a person again. I don’t want to be enslaved to my phone anymore.
i love how hes not really just like “hey social media is terrible and im better be more like me” like hes not being mean about it hes being direct about it and by just like ACTUALLY watching the full video you can see how hes really tryna get his point across clearly even offering actual advice too great video, surprised it doesnt have more views
Perhaps he is recommended less by the algorithm, and as he pointed out, he doesn't use the brain rotting VFX or sounds, or subtitles. But as long as he can spread the message in the format he deems valuable to his viewers, then I am down for it, because he definitely made a nice impression on me, especially the method of predicting your next thought.
As a person with ADHD it's even harder to get rid of my addiction to cheap dopamine and I hope that 2024 is the year I battle it. (I am not trying to discredit or invalidate the people without ADHD that struggle with cheap dopamine addiction. It is of course very hard for them too.)
@@weenusfranklin2752It is actually scientifically proven to be. ADHD is literally a lack of dopamine in your brain which is why everyday tasks that don't give you instant dopamine are hard to do for people with ADHD while at the same time consuming media that gives you cheap dopamine is very easy and very addicting. It can increase ADHD paralysis and it can easily distract you which is also something people with ADHD struggle with more than other people.
@@weenusfranklin2752 it is definitely harder because when you have adhd your brain has a deficiency in dopamine, which it in turns searches for more, so cheap dopamine is an easy way to get more dopamine for someone with adhd.
I used to be like this, being able to live without over consumption but I feel like your surroundings play a role as well too, my family/friends has accepted streaming, social media and technology as a tool to cope or a way for entertainment and it sometimes feel so alone. As a college student coming back to December break to a mindless household honestly influenced me to the same as well 🥺
After I decided to embrace this journey everybody called me boring, even my wife haha But after the results started, some friends asked me how I did it and how they could start. You can be the person who starts a revolution in your household. My wife has recently deleted Instagram and I didn't even try to convince her, I didn't say anything. My example though yelled at her face lol
I feel this, I’ve been trying to keep off social media and it honestly feels ungratifying and empty. I notice more and more how everyone is glued, elders just as bad as young people, all coping with this fleeting fill to combat the collective loneliness. It’s hard to feel like the you see what it is but see little alternative. Sustainable options are purposely made to be harder to reach :(
I agréé about this. My family is also very consumer based. I try to have intellectually stimulating conversations with them and they complain I’m being boring.
I’m currently on my winter break and Ive noticed with the increase in time on my hands that I’ve been binge watching videos and have been falling into that loop again. Your videos however, have helped me to stay aware and have helped me to keep catching myself and bring myself back into healthy habits. I really appreciate it, God bless u bro🙏🏾
I can confirm focus is a skill anyone can master. I went from reading 0 books per year back in 2017-2018 to this year I read (no audiobooks) 40 books. You’ll learn to love it if you stick with it! I love reading now and it’s super easy for me to pull out a book to entertain myself without the urge to just scroll on my phone instead. There’s hope for anyone who thinks they can never enjoy reading!
i limited social media a lot and even deleted tiktok & snapchat, locked insta just for 2 hours a day. i went from 10hrs a day to 3hrs. i feel more lonely because i only have one friend in school but atleast i am not surrounded by fake people. i started reading, learning more, playing piano and going out with my dog. i also started hating social media so much because theres a lack of autenticity and everyone is the same, people compete for likes and followers. i no longer compare myself as much to fake happiness online. it isn’t easy and it takes time, but it is possible. i mean i lived 9 years without social media, so why could i not stop using it? im almost 16 and i was really wasting my life online, which needed to stop. im so proud of you if youre reading this comment and you can do this!!
We actually just published an article about the dangers of social media in young adults, at the University of Nevada. It was a meta analysis. Our abstract: Social media addiction and mental health complications are on the rise in young adults; scientific literature suggests these two are directly correlated. Our conclusion: Social media has been seen to negatively affect mental health, academic performance, social interaction, and other forms of addiction. Great video
@@x1joyboyI wouldn’t say it’s an issue out of nothing, although idk if I agree with the framing being done here. Social media, and the internet at large, is a necessity at this point at least to some degree. It shouldn’t be villainized, but we definitely need to address the problems that it creates, especially with these younger generations that are getting their hands on it earlier and earlier. Like the creator in the video even said- we can’t read anymore
One of my biggest goals with social media is to not open any app in the morning until I complete my morning workout and eat breakfast. Usually I’ll wake up and just doom scroll for 30 mins and it just sucks the life out of me, especially if I see frustrating or bad news. It’s hard because it’s become such a habit that I’ll grab my phone immediately when I wake up and open Instagram. But I’m hoping to make small steps and then get to a point where I’m barely using it
this is me rn as well, i’m not using it for the first three hours im awake. i ruled out youtube though because i think videos like this and podcasts sometimes start my morning off right. A quiet morning though without overstimulation has done a lot for me
This was quite honestly what i needed to hear right now, coming from a college student who returned home it’s very easy to relaps into old habits of easy dopamine, most of this year i’ve been focused, only to become burned out around november to december. it’s frustrating how quickly being with your family watching shows converts into a disastrous cycle of wasted dopamine. again thank you.
I recently deleted all my social media but Instagram because I use it for my small business. I decided that I wanted to enjoy life more and work towards my goals. I used to be scared of missing out on stuff like trends etc, but after just 3 days of having no social media and no need to post every aspect of my life online, I feel a giant weight off my shoulders. I really enjoy your videos and I hope anyone reading this knows that they can end the consumption as well!
Commenting so that more people who needs to see this gets recommended to them. Unfortunately I am also suffering severely from digital addiction and despite acknowledging it I still struggle to break the cycle. It’s extremely harder than I thought but I still am trying. Your channel has helped me very much, thanks for sharing your experience and helping others get through this :) And huge respect to you for taking our struggles into consideration and not make your videos overstimulating despite knowing your channel will suffer from doing so. Saying this to remind myself and to those who are also suffering, don’t hesitate and take action now. Replace temporary pleasure with meaningful and long lasting fulfillment. You’ll be amazed at how truly wonderful your life has become and thank yourself in the future. Don’t regret the past and it’s wasted times, learn from them and start anew today. New year’s a perfect time to start fresh, so make the next year and future years to come worth it. Thanks for reading and glad that you’ve made it this far, you can do it :)
Thank you for this insight and also consideration for those battling with the exact same thing. I know I’ve spent time wasting on zombie scrolling and then find myself paying the repercussions of zombie scrolling. I’m usually groggy and lately I have been limiting my screen time because the effects can be and will be detrimental. Again thank you for this post and being honest with your own personal struggles.
I'm so bad with time consuming. I wanna be entertained but also in depth of wanting to learn MORE about myself. Like in this video 🥲 i am trying so hard to balance it out. on edge of deleting everythinggg and starting over😞. Hoping 2024 is kinder and bittersweet. I feel like it's deja vu and or pay back or something. Please don't let it be...
On my first day of no social media. Thank you for this comment. We’re all in this together. We can overcome this addiction. Because everything is possible ❤
@@angelboogers Honestly same 😅 I love consuming educational content but it’s really easy to fall into the trap of constantly consuming. I wouldn’t recommend deleting everything to limit yourself, but rather learning how to take back in control of your devices instead letting it control you. Good luck with your journey into the new year!
I started meditating/manifesting back in 2020 & honestly it saved my life cuz the self destructive path I was on, & I never looked back, i stay mindful but writing down everything I am & where I am right at that moment, & where I want to be, & I manifest it, & I’ve noticed that my manifestations become my reality not right away but they become my reality, W vid! Keep em coming vro 🤝🏽
I’m only 20, however, I’ve lived a wild life since birth and I’ve got a ton of stories to tell. I’ve got a lot of trauma, and still go through a lot of bs today, but I’ve always used drawing/painting/crafts, skateboarding, performance art, and most importantly written music, or poems as my therapy. I plan on releasing my own writings and art into a collection of punk scene-ish art with my little brother all over the Internet no matter if I blow up or not, I will never give up.
Bro that was crazy, I was like 10 seconds in. Hit a short, watched like 20 minutes of them, forgot I was watching this video. Exited out of shorts, and he was like “you probably already moved your mind to something else”. And now I’m fully invested bro, proved the point perfectly to me 😂
mashaAllah, this video explained a process i’m going through right now…i started to notice my mind drift so much that i couldn’t focus anymore due to my short attention span. also, when i read the quran especially what prophet muhammad (s.a.w) went through, his characteristics and just how productive society was in the past (appreciating the little things…), i realized it was because of all these apps and media in general. a goal of mine is to limit my media use and become more consistent with this type of lifestyle inshaAllah. thanks for sharing your journey
YES. Our attention is so valuable and I am trying to be much more aware and intentional with what I give my attention to and how often. Thank you for this video and much needed reminder!
But why is income the main goal here? Even tho you are not constantly consuming, you are still complicit and perpetuating the capitalistic system that led you to the decision to consume less content in the first place. You might be helping yourself I guess to have a more comfortable life. But systematically you are still contributing and perpetuating the exploitative, consumption-driven capitalist existence.
I’ve started trying to fix my sleep schedule, but I find I still have trouble going to bed on time because I feel like there’s so much I want to do and can’t get done in the day. The reason I’ve never really had the time to do the things I want to is because I spend so much of my day online scrolling. I really want to take control of my life and not let the internet consume me, and I want that to be my goal for the new year and hopefully the rest of my life
This video is making me realize that the mindless doom scrolling and grasping at anything that can release even the tiniest bit of dopamine or provide any bit of distraction from my own thoughts is probably just me trying to cope with my mental illnesses and the things that are out of my control. It’s really interesting that we do things that are harmful because we feel out of control of our lives, when those things are even harder to control because you get addicted to the rush. I’m also realizing that my life thus far has been mostly spent in front of a screen. I need to stop 😭
Just order the book u mention the power of now. I’m having a hard time being present to the point where I get overwhelmed because i don’t know how it’s supposed to feel. It’s scary to feel trapped in my own mind. Ty for your advice it really helps put things into perspective!
Deleted social media a few days ago - no particular reason, just didnt feel the need for it, and now I just use WhatsApp really, it's not a big deal unless you make it one. Keep spreading this message 😊
This was an amazing video to watch, I really needed to see it during these times. I enjoyed the small challenge in the beginning by stating most people don't watch full-length videos, that just made me challenge myself to watch the whole thing and I can confidently say I enjoyed the whole video! I saved this video to my Watch Later so I can re-watch it anytime, especially when my attention isn't focused on me growing as an individual. I do admit, I tend to live more in a fantasy world rather than doing the things that will help me accomplish my real life goals. This video answered my question of 'Why am I not where I want to be in life?' It's because I've been neglecting myself with fantasy, food, and shopping. It may not be 'addiction' on paper, but in reality, it is and I've been slowly realizing that over a few months. Thank you so much for posting this video. Even if you think your videos won't attract many people, please know that you're attracting the *right* audience. I and many others are looking forward to what you create in the future!
Hey Abraham I took inspiration from you and have also started a social media detox recently. I’ve also started journaling and reading because of some of the things you’ve said and I wanted to thank you for that. I’ve also read all the bone books. Thanks.
Hey man dont be worrying about flashy edits and clickbait thumbnails and all that. The people that want to watch the videos for the information you give will come and stay no matter what type of edits are going on. Keep on grinding brotha
The fact that media consumption became a habit developed during the pandemic is making it difficult to get rid of. It becomes a cycle. You get motivated to self regulate then after sometime you go back to you old habits...
I actually started off my year by nearly halving my social media usage. I'm now down to 45 minutes a day max when I used to scroll for over 6 hours a day. Every time I get upset by these apps, I lower my timer. The more it upsets me, the more i drop my time. I recently saw a social media post that upset me so badly that I actually decreased my *goal time* that I am working towards. Social media feels more like a punishment than a reward to me now. I used to feel like there was never enough time in the day for me to draw or even to sleep. I am now drawing more and sleeping better than I have in many years. Instead of my head being filled with memes and annoying social media posts I saw the night before, I've been spending my time at work thinking about ideas for complex pieces I want to illustrate and work towards being able to create. I'm thinking about my new artbooks that I've been reading. My previous sketchbook was filled with random, small black and white pencil sketches, but my newest sketchbook is filled with so so much color. I'm pushing myself more. I'm experimenting more. I'm enjoying the process more. I did not think when I started to quit social media that it would impact my art this heavily.
This landed on my home page at the exact time I've been putting myself through this 'unplugging' process. Hearing a stranger verbalise what I've been going through is so refreshing. Grateful to have found your channel when I did and I hope your words reach more people
I used to find it difficult so stay focused while watching your videos because my brain was fried from watching Instagram reels. I deleted Instagram and now I'm fully engaged. Thank you for your help.
@@timothymartin3672 yeah i may have invented it but i’ve found it easier to do things long term if it starts out as some sort of challenge. i only planned to complete the month but now i never want to go back.
I've been on a journey for the past 1.5 years, practicing mindfulness and being aware of the content I consume. Every single point in this video aligns with everything I have been learning. Good job! Shoutout to the algo for bringing me to your page
I loved that exercise at the end, "I wonder what my next thought will be". Super interesting to just observe our thoughts and nice to remind ourselves to take a minute and pause, thanks!
My 18th birthday is coming up and I've been so afraid of what my future holds. This video gives me hope. I really felt the line: "If im adding to your life, keep me around. If not, then don't." A dream of mine is to do music as a profession. I've had enough people telling me that there's "no money in it" or "pick a real job." But I haven't stopped making moves towards that dreams: I've applied to music college and practiced my instruments. I won't allow anyone to drag me down or belittle me and my goals. This is the energy i needed right before the end of the year. I will work towards living with a purpose
Wow man, just wow. I am very similar with this but I am just a lil younger😭. I am also a performer (Theatre) and I have realised that I have the urge to do this as a profession etc. You go man, you have passion which is good because mine is being worn down my financial struggles in pursuing a career as scary as that. I am 14 by the way, turning 15 in january.
@@DoTheFlopp It seems like yesterday when I was 14, it was 2020, and I was a freshman during distance learning. I encourage you to stick to theater if it's something that brings you joy. While financial burdens may seem to dampen your dreams, those obstacles only make achieving them more satisfying. There are theater colleges and many schools that offer theater as a major. Continue on the grind towards your goals and don't ever let anyone put you down for them. With all the uncertainty in the world, one thing's for sure: you are only in control of yourself so make decisions to make future you happy. Happy early birthday! Mine is also in January. I wish you perseverance throughout your financial struggles and through whatever is thrown your way
@@jaeger3647 Thanks so much, I used to go to a normal school in croydon but now that I go to a performing arts school, I still see the enjoyment in theatre but as you said, the awareness of my struggle with finances may have weakened my passion. This comment was very useful dude.
How does gratitude and joy play into this? I think you should touch on how working for a better future needs to be balanced with deep gratitude for the present. Part of what I hate about capitalism and consumerism is the constant need for something bigger and better. This is the first video of yours I’ve seen and it’s great! Very thought provoking
It's really shocking to me that you said people drop off the video after 30 seconds. I can't imagine stopping a video even half way through. it's a VERY rare occasion that I stop a video, I have to be really disinterested to leave a video before it's over. I see it in my friends, who can't watch long videos or movies, or I see them scroll tik tok and they don’t even let the video play for .2 seconds before moving on. I dont have TikTok, but I have instagram because I have friends on there that I can't text, and I was attempting to understand it for business purposes. I find myself scrolling those stupid reels, but at least I watch the whole reel. I dont know how people flick through like I see people do. I'm so grateful that I still have a very strong attention span. I don't regret the time I spent as a kid and in my teen years watching meaningless youtube videos, I do think there is good things to come out of it. Entertainment is art, even in RU-vid creator form. The only ones I regret are the really dumb stuff that I didn’t care about. I do, however, find myself wasting more time on my phone. It's not in my nature, and it's not something I want for myself... I have a issue right now where Im always fatigued and no one can figure out why, so sometimes, it's the only thing I can do to stay awake...
Subscribed. Been absolutely addicted and constantly scrolling since the beginning of the pandemic and it’s definitely taken a toll on me mentally. I really want to be more mindful going into the new year so I don’t waste anymore of my time glued to my phone. Thank you ❤️
It's good to see there are a bunch of people who actually do understand this stuff AND care. Sometimes I hesitate with talking about this stuff online because I don't know enough people who can relate...
“iT’s lIkElY yOu wOn’t mAkE iT To tHe EnD of tHiS vIdEo” is such a genuinely great way to make no one want to watch your video, my guy. It’s the same energy as those ads that are like “wait wait don’t skip.” Also, it’s easy to say other people are lost in the matrix when you spend hours every week looking at yourself in your camera.
I want to thank you Abraham. I'm 17 and my social media addiction started with RU-vid when I was only ten, and was only furthered by tiktok in lockdown. Since watching you and understanding the attention currency, I have began to read more, devouring books, take up piano, guitar, collecting books, arts, working out. I feel so alive, it's got me into university, the top of my class, and now, although it might not be the best lol, I'm addicted to the pursuit of knowledge. Thank you!
Let me add, I've got the healthiest, best friend group now. We all agree on this, have formed a band, play board games, meet up to talk about reading, movies and especially philosophy with some coffee, not a phone in sight, its lovely:)
I used to never be able to listen to anything. Pay attention. None of it. I’m so grateful I came across you. We’re in this 2024 TOGETHER 😭 please don’t stop making videos! You’re one of the only “people” I listen to. (Even though we aren’t like talking) IM LISTENING TO YOU!! AND RETAINING YOUR KNOWLEDGE!!
This is so inspiring 👏🏾👏🏾 I've felt a push to get off social media and stop being a mindless drone. Edit: I went through my phone and deleted apps but in the process I thought about a couple things. I literally don't know what to fill my days with outside of social media, besides reading. I don't have any lofty goals like starting a business, so what kind of sustainable habits can I create outside of reading that will replace my mindless scrolling. I guess I'm trying to come up with an excuse because even as I type this I'm thinking, well I CAN just read all the time instead of scrolling on my phone and the time spent doing that will be far more beneficial. Then just go from there. I answered my own question, goodbye for now.
Work on being a better steward of your physical health spiritual self learn skills serve someone by helping others educate yourself on something u love
i really appreciate the fact that there is no background music in your video, feels like a conversation, i can grasp everything you're saying. some months ago it'd have been impossible for me to sit through the first 2-3mins due to the absence of music, the need for any constant background noise made any "normal" video/lecture tedious to listen to, now it's distracting and annoying. thank you for sharing your wisdom and knowledge man keep it up!
I’m happy you made this video.. I was just telling my sister about how I’m basically working another 40 hr week to pay other ppl . Felt like an internet slave. I had to plan my ENTIRE DAY to maximize my time !!! Thank you so much ! Thank you!!!!
My God. This was the first video that I watched of your channel. I’m amazed and speechless. You have a lot of wisdom. It feels good to know that there are people who want to get off the cheap dopamine train and also help others to get off of it.
this video was perfect for the current shift in my life. ive become seriously bored of media these days. i dont enjoy social media the same way i used to, as it only feels like a useless ritual. ive always been someone to practice mindfulness, and it's something that's successfully deterred me away from useless content consumption, but it has dug a hole for me as well. i find myself in gaping hole of unfamiliarity. its been something that brewed in the background of that instant dopamine consumption that you discussed- something that acts as an obstacle when you decide to make a long-term goal/change in your life. as a teenager that spent much of my years "growing up" (a phase i dont think i got to genuinely experience) during the pandemic, i find myself unable to cope with dedicating myself to self improvement. this mostly applies to the mental aspect, but it has branched out to my skills in art and music. as much as i can put the blame on the way social media and entertainment is engineered, it took periods of constant mindfulness to realize how much my outside factors affected me as well, and how i should navigate them. i completely believe the mindlessness that media has constructed has made everyone unaware of their surroundings and how to deal with them. its not a lifestyle i want to subject myself to. i want to finish my last year of highschool strong after about 3 years of going up and down mentally, relying on phony shit like scrolling and distraction to provide me sanity. its nice to have a video like this to bridge off of my own thoughts. you got a subscribe from me.
hi, i have been battling my mind for months since moving back in with my parents after being fully independent for 3 years at college. Its a small town and the environment is not good for me. i have money to move away but no job and i can really just get an apartment in the city with my credit score and money i have saved, but i feel stuck, confused, along with my parents demanding i have a job before i move to the city because its the traditional way. my mental health is suffering because of it. I find myself distracting myself with all the things you said. It almost just about ruined me. I felt lost, like no one could understand what i was going through and that no matter what people say to try to help, they cant because they dont understand what it is thats crippling me, but you, someone i have never met, has given me the words i need to hear to get it together and cut out all distractions that are hindering my growth. I know it wont be easy, but this video and your words are the first words i have heard in a long time that have truly helped my outlook. I stopped talking to people because i knew they couldnt help me, then i watched this video all the way through, at rock bottom. Thank you 🙏
Im new to your channel and I love how you're different from other creators without creating overstimulating content that destroys people's brains on purpose. I love how authentic and dedicated you are to helping others around social media. Thank you for this video.
thank you. you’re video finally made me do what i needed to for so long. i’ve been wanting to change, to better myself and whatever but not having a clear mind makes that very very difficult. thank you for really reminding me how much time and mind i spend on social media and how it’s just blocking me from being myself, from being happy and from my goals in life. i am so happy because today i decided i would really stop being on my phone and i realized how much time i have, how much more calm i am, how much more space i have in my head. i have time for my hobbies, like, its making me so happy. why did i not think of this before or rather why did i not do it before? your video gave me motivation, and i believe 2024 will be the start of better years. thank you, really.
My attention span has gone to shit but i watched the video all the way through! So insightful and inspiring. I’m currently removing social media in my life and i’m in a part where i’m started seeing the benefits of it. My attention span has gone better with only 3 days i ended up studying and being able to focus. I already forgot on going on my phone except when i have to talk to someone. Thank you for this i gained so much more understanding on where i want to be headed!!
love it!! lizard brain had me laughing lmfao. i think the tiktok shorts and reels are actually getting so bad it’s crazy how we have to like force ourselves out of it
The problem is, I’ve tried all of this. I’ve tried living a disciplined life by not engaging in my former bad habits. The problem is, I’m depressed. I still don’t have any social media anymore but everyone else does since I’m young it’s a normal thing now. I cut off my toxic friends and the way I used to make friends was through social media, now I don’t have that opportunity anymore. And this is basically how everyone communicates now and how they form relationships. Now I’m insanely lonely, I don’t have a best friend anymore and nothing. Of course I should enjoy my own company but at some point it becomes really depressing. So now I don’t want to read books and workout and all that anymore I want to go out and have fun because I’m still young, I feel like I’ll miss out on so much. Now I have a few friends who aren’t even close to me like that and all I do is game , watch Netflix and RU-vid. I don’t know how to live my life at this point. I’m going to med school next year but I thought of taking a gap year because I want to live a little but I don’t know how to since I don’t have the sources of communication anymore. How can I be less depressed ?
@@BlaisexBlaise I go to school, internship and I have a part time job, which I go to directly after school, so I don’t really have time to join a sports club, however I do go to the gym but people here are mostly to themselves at the gym and aren’t very social. You’re right, having friends is important to me because I feel like I can’t be happy alone. When you used to have people constantly around you and then you suddenly don’t anymore, it’s kind of an odd feeling, you know? Like, I feel very empty and it’s almost excruciating. As i mentioned in my previous comment I’ve distanced myself from previous toxic friends etc etc. I’ve focused on myself, went to the gym regularly, ate good, fixed my sleeping schedule, read books and I must say, that I felt better than before but after a while i started feeling a sense of loneliness, which feels worse than the company of my toxic friends. I don’t know if you can relate but please do you have any other solutions or advice ?
i’m in your exact current situation. Last year, i stopped using social media. i used to be an absolute addict; i was addicted to refining my instagram account (where i only had about 500 followers💀), was obsessed with my public image, and was addicted to snapchat. i cut it all off and while it did feel like massive weight lifted off my shoulders i still felt depressed. i kept discord to talk to the few good friends i have, and i don’t use it to talk to strangers or anything so i found it fair to keep. And while people recommend that deleting social media is good because you finally see who cares about you, it gets insanely lonely. seeing the people i knew my entire life not even bother to reach out to me over messages because they’d much rather send photos of their walls to people than have real conversations. When you’re suddenly all by yourself after being surrounded by a plethora of people your entire life it’s a big change. And i’ve tried waking up early, adapting a new sleep schedule, doing everything on time and being productive and now i’ve fallen out of the habits because while i felt better i still feel depressed. sometimes i get instagram back and see all my old friends posting everyone in our old friend groups but me. Me and my best friend hardly talk. I spend my entire day watching youtube, gaming and talking to the 3 people who care enough to reach out to me. I don’t really have any advice to give out, i know i just have to be comfortable with myself but i just wanted to let someone know that they’re not alone. Have a good night
@@Cheeseburguor If years of social media use haven’t brought you closer to forming a community or valuable relationships, then it probably never will. That is the promise of social media, that it is the only thing that can bring you fulfillment in your every day life. At the end of the day, all you have is yourself and the things you’ve achieved. Some people have had access to a cesspool of life-long friendships and relationships from the get-go, and others don’t find their people until very late in life. That’s just the way it is. If depression is your main issue, I recommend seeking professional help or finding something to believe in(whether it be an alternative philosophy or religion). Maybe the things that are important to you aren’t what’s important to your peers. Maybe you prefer focusing on academics or physical fitness. Maybe a fulfilling life is more than waking up early and taking cold showers. Take time to look inwards and find out what is truly meaningful to you at this point in time. Keeping your head down and living day by day is nothing to be ashamed of, it gives you the time and space to think. Just know that living intentionally and trying to better yourself as a person already puts you ahead of most of the western population. There’s also nothing wrong with taking medications prescribed by a doctor to help with symptoms of mental illness. The first thing that these life gurus online will try to sell you is that you’re supposed to “rawdog” these symptoms and do mindfulness exercises during depressive episodes and panic attacks. That’s total crap and you’re not crazy for thinking that living as you are is too painful. Just know you’re not alone and professional help is always available. Also, don’t try to memorialize toxic friendships. You always look back on them with rose-tinted glasses, give them a second chance, then remember just how miserable they make you. No matter what you’re feeling now, being alone is always the better option in that regard.
Don't view it as isolation, view it as solitude. It's a mindset shift but it's freeing I hope that helps. Isolation is feeling disconnected, solitude is connection
Abraham, Thank you for this video. My girlfriend sent me it because I was vegetating playing Brawlhalla and watching League of Legends RU-vid videos. For the record, I was consciously vegetating. I don't want this to be misconstrued as me thanking you for saving me from a video game binge, because that's NOT why I'm thanking you. I went into this video with the attitude: "Great, another self-improvement RU-vidr who is going to tell me to stop watching RU-vid--EXCEPT for their videos because they want money from my views--and pollute the internet with the same tired bullshit." I believe most self-improvement videos are basically a pyramid scheme, where each creator needs the next level of creators below them to watch their videos and regurgitate the ideas to the next level, and vice versa. What I APPRECIATED about your video is YOUR HONESTY. You made it clear that you stand to benefit from us watching your content, and even cautioned people to stop watching your content if it's not helping them. On that note, you mentioned that you have watched Hamza. I liked a lot of Hamza's content and found it during the most difficult time in my life, when I was struggling with a lot of sexual insecurity, loneliness, and felt powerless as it seemed the world was crumbling around me. For most of my life, I did my best to fit in and not do anything to embarrass myself or make anyone think I was anything other than "normal". I kept radical thoughts to myself. I swallowed emotions. I saw most people put on a facade and therefore I assumed I was different than them and needed to hide how "weird" I was. Hamza's content was raw. He said what he thought, and brought up difficult/messy/sensitive topics constantly in his videos. He did not preach from on high, instead telling his viewers where he came from. It is possible he lied about that picture of him in his teenage years, or about other things, but the effect is still the same: his content made his viewers feel less alone. There was one Hamza video that I really didn't like, and that was the one where he talked about meeting Iman Gadzhi. He talked very highly of Iman. "Iman goes to a party and he KNOWS which girl he is going home with." "Iman is a billionaire, and works very hard for it." Etc. Etc. Let's be honest: you don't possess a billion dollar net worth without screwing people over to get it. Unless, of course, you inherit money from family members who themselves screwed people over to get it. I feel like Hamza was lying to himself when he talked about how much he liked Iman, because that guy's lifestyle actually contrasts with some of the beautiful values that shined through to me in most of Hamza's videos, which were Hamza being honest and showing humility to relate with his audience on a more intimate level. I'm going to give you some honesty back as thanks for your video. I am 24, almost 25, and bald, and white. I have a weak jawline and cover it up with a beard. I worked my way up to a $120K annual salary by the time I was 23 at a software startup, and then left shortly after receiving the raise from $90K to $120K, because I no longer believed in what I was working on and was struggling with a lot of personal stuff that built up over the years. That was in October 2022. Shortly after leaving the company, I met my current girlfriend, who is the best person I could have met in such a troubling time. In February 2023, during a short burst of borderline-delusional confidence, I fired off an email to my entire extended family and ex-boss. I basically unloaded all the things I had kept inside for many years. A weight was lifted off my chest. I received NO negative responses. Only intimacy. People I had "known" for my whole life finally told me some of their tightest-kept secrets. I felt closer with family than I ever had before. I now believe that honesty and self-expression are truly the most rewarding things in life. It's a lot easier to type sensitive things than it is to say them to people in-person. At 19, you have a good voice. A good jawline. Beautiful hair. You seem quite humble, and overall like someone who is good to be friends with. You are doing better than me in many ways. That said, please do not let these compliments go to your head. It is easy to become an entitled/arrogant, and to look down on others. Making money off of social media marketing/branding has negative consequences. I can't trust any product reviews on the internet because so many of them are sponsored. Reviews on Google are often fake. In my humble opinion, there is enough merchandise and other cheap wares already. We need to worry about killing the environment with all of this manufacturing of throwaway junk. It's hard to find good information on the internet because it's buried under piles of garbage. Please just keep these trade-offs in mind. If making money means burning the world around you to the ground, there will be nothing left to enjoy once you have the money. Take care and stay awesome. Sam
@@artluvsDo you have a source for this? Not trying to sound rude, but I find it hard to believe that short videos could “cause” an increase in adhd. Mostly, it’s genetic. There’s also been a massive gap in official diagnosis bc up until the 2000 something’s, they didn’t really believe girls could have adhd. Adhd also isn’t just inattention, a lot of the disorder has to do with executive dysfunction among other symptoms.
@@acrolliebut recently the adhd diagnoses have gone up by a lot, probably because the amount of media we consume and how stimulated we need to be, and it could be that combined with what you’re saying
i really needed this. i spent a large part of 2024 consuming instead of creating especially mindless long form content which is often more educational than short form but arguably worse because it’s more time consuming. I’ve avoided tiktok and instagram because i was too scared to see what my peers were doing and too scared to devote time to building my own personal brand and finally starting a business
I was half awake, half asleep, laying in bed thinking about this, and how today will be the day I change. Of course I open RU-vid upon waking up anyway, and this was the first video I opened. Thank God.
The mindfulness exercise was interesting. Was nice letting my mind take a walk and watching where it might go. I liked this video a lot :) felt different from a lot of other videos that discuss the same topic. I think it’s because not once did I ever feel shamed for any media habits I might have, but rather just made aware of them and encouraged on how to work through them. Awesome video :D
This ties in so well with some thoughts I've been having around money + making an income. I want to jump on so many things to create a better life for my family, but I don't really want to be a part of the noise, the attention-grabbing, the impulse-buying. I don't want to be following trends. As lucrative as it is...I don't know if I will bring myself to do it. I'll need to find a way that aligns with me I guess.
For the past 3 years ever since I felt things were going downhill for me, quitting my only hobby, going away from things I used to do, and becoming more aware of myself and what to do and what I want to do, I’ve been thinking and trying to improve. Your video has helped with my understanding of what I’ve learned so far. I’m only a sophomore but I want to better my life already because adulthood is coming fast and honestly I think I am unprepared at the moment but ive still got 2 years before college and I think I’ve come a long way from how I used to be. I’ve rejoined ballet a few months ago, people actually talk to me in school, I’m getting back into drawing, I’m not spending the whole day playing video games, I want to be fit and healthy to be fit and healthy, I want to improve basically. And I have a picture of what I want for the future, more like an idea but not a specific job. I find myself overthinking especially in school since I have this idea of being this lonely quiet awkward kid but it’s really not the case as long as I choose to not be that person. You can’t wait for opportunities you’ve got to make them and seize them, sure they come but it’s up to you to take them. To even start with self improvement, it’s kind of like you said, you need to deliberately change it yourself by starting to realize what’s happening to you and then wanting to change it and not letting anything knock you down. Sometimes to me it’s crazy what I’ve done when I really step back and look at it these past few years, sure I may not have as many friends that I can rely on as of now (I’m working on making true friends and letting people in :) and also forgiveness and forgetting) (I do have three close friends but at school I only have one that idk if I can trust, but the ones that I really trust I’ve known forvever and I love em), but I’m working on being more open and I actually got to my goals that I made for myself during this year. I did it! I returned to ballet and danced in the nutcracker only after 2 months of two classes a week, I took up voice lessons and put myself out there, somehow made it onto leadership for where I volunteer (although I feel somewhat unworthy 😅 but I mean I got it so that says something and I should work harder to prove it to myself), I’m beginning to have moderation of being online and I’m spending less money on gaming, I’m getting back into my old hobbies, and I don’t feel as insecure about my body anymore. When I think about it like this all my negativity just goes away because I actually did what is set out to do this year even tho sometimes I think too much with high standards for myself. And watching your video just further adds to how I should move forward with it. I have an idea already for my future and the things you said in this video will help me stay on track to go where I want to go. Thanks I will definitely keep watching your videos! Today I wanted to work on my drawing and read for my drivers license and exercise but it didn’t happen 😅, why? Well video games this time (I got caught up in a story and I feel kinda guilty), to me I feel like I should’ve done those first then did gaming as a reward cuz I played for 5 hours today, not my best and it would’ve been more efficient to split it up among a few days. I’ll be better next time and stick to what I’m thinking my day should look like and be about. The only cure to my guilt here is actually doing something. (Not to make it an unhealthy thing of work and reward though, cuz we all deserve a break once in a while Yknow 😊) Also note for myself something I need to write down is STOP WATCHING OPINION VIDEOS CUZ THEY ARE KIND OF MEANINGLESS IF YOU HAVE A VALID OPINION THATS NOT REALLY BAD OR UNLOGICAL CUZ I AHVE THIS HABIT OF GETTING INFLUENCED BY OTHERS OPINIONS AND I NEED TO FORM MY OWN AND ANALYZE THE SITUATIONS MYSELF TO FORM A SOLID OPINION THAT WONT SHAKE. This is probably my biggest problem I should focus on for the new year and also speaking up (I mean like the opinion videos where they are just talking smack or just ranting their opinion and not explaining anything at all that makes sense, I mash those in with the ones I find logical and sometimes it’s hard for me to tell the difference cuz it feeds into how I think. I just Need to be more mindful of that, whether the videos are meaningful or not.)
