Episode 22
Need to Unfollow, Unfriend, or Unplug? It's Okay If You Step Back
Sometimes, the scroll gets too loud. The opinions, the highlights, the endless noise – it can overwhelm your system before you even notice it’s happening. And even when your mind says, “just deal with it,” your body often knows better.
This short reflection is a reminder that it’s okay to set boundaries with your digital world.
You’re allowed to unfollow accounts that drain you.
You’re allowed to unfriend people you no longer have capacity for.
You’re allowed to unplug without apology.
If your heart or nervous system is saying “enough,” you’re allowed to listen.
Transcript
00:06
Hey, this is It's Okay If, bite-sized permission slips. I'm Matt Gilhooly, and today's permission, it's okay if you need to unfollow, unfriend, or unplug. I had a moment not too long ago where I opened my phone and within five minutes, I could feel my entire body tensing up. The scrolling, the opinions, the debates, the perfectly curated highlight reels. It wasn't just annoying, it was exhausting, it was loud.
00:36
It was too much. And for a while I told myself, you're supposed to be able to handle this. It's just social media. It's just the internet. But eventually I had to listen to what my body was telling me, which was enough. So I unfollowed accounts that made me feel less than. I unfriended people I didn't have the capacity to engage with anymore. And I unplugged for a few hours, maybe even a few days at a time.
01:06
And yeah, at first it felt awkward. I felt guilty even, like I was letting people down or maybe I was being too sensitive. But the truth? My nervous system just needed a break. My heart needed a break. And yours might too. So if today you feel the itch to step back, to unfollow, to unfriend, to unplug, you don't have to apologize for that. You get to take care of yourself first.
01:36
So if you're up for it, tell yourself, give myself permission to disconnect when my body, mind, or my heart says enough. That's your permission slip, friend. Tuck it in your pocket and I'll see you next time.
