As we say goodbye to 2024, I reflect on social media, consumerism, and the spiritual journey.
In late 2023, I created an Instagram account to share my book, Faith and Perseverance – My Journey, hoping to connect with others and share my story. What began as an exciting way to engage with new people soon became a double-edged sword. I noticed that the more I posted, the more I felt the need to post again. I found myself checking for "likes" and scrolling through the curated lives of others. While I enjoyed connecting with people, I realized this digital world was consuming precious moments that I could have spent on more productive pursuits.
In September 2024, I made a conscious decision to step back. I stopped posting short videos, which were easy to make and didn’t require deep reflection on a topic. However, it all felt very superficial. As months passed, I clicked on the app here and there out of habit. I would open Instagram and then immediately close it, realizing that this mindless scrolling no longer served me. Instead of chasing the fleeting approval of strangers, I wanted to be free and use my time more wisely. I still hold on to my account, knowing that I may use it for future book updates, but social media no longer dictates my life. The result? I have more time to reflect, write on meaningful topics, read, and cook dishes from various cultures—these all feed my inner peace.
The next step is to avoid spending time mindlessly on my smartphone reading news headlines. If something is truly important, I will hear about it. This doesn’t mean I bury my head in the sand. Instead, I am claiming my limited life back.
This leads me to the next topic: freedom from consumerism. In 2024, I decided not to buy any new clothes (a friend had successfully done this a couple of years ago, which fueled my desire to try this experiment). For me, it wasn’t about saving money; it was about rethinking what truly brings joy. I continued to receive relentless messaging from fashion influencers to “buy more, be happy,” which made me think about how young people who have not yet reached full emotional maturity must react when they see these beautiful women showing off bags and bags of clothes, shoes, purses, and makeup. I wish I could tell them that this is all superficial, and that they are so much more than this materialistic façade. It’s abundantly clear to me that much of the anxiety in today’s generation is due to social media and consumerism.
Onward with consumerism, stores continued to urge me to fulfill desires I didn’t even know I had. When I took a closer look at the clothing industry, I learned the staggering environmental cost of this cycle. Each year, 92 million tons of clothing end up in landfills, much of it driven by fast fashion and disposable trends. The planet already holds enough clothes to last us for six generations, yet we continue to accumulate more.
Though I wasn’t a heavy consumer to begin with, this commitment to refrain from new clothing purchases in 2024 felt like a meaningful step toward reducing consumerism further and keeping my closet clean while saving money in the process. The temptation to buy was strong, but I stood firm. My mantra now is simple: “I am enough, I have enough.” I want to see if I can extend my “no purchase of new clothes” into 2025.
And then the inner journey: At the beginning of 2024, I made a commitment to chant and meditate twice a day. While I may not have been perfect, achieving about 70% consistency, the experience has been transformative. Although I have been on a spiritual journey for a few decades, in 2024, I began chanting “Nam Myoho Renge Kyo” from Nichiren Buddhism, a practice that resonated deeply with me. For me, this chant represents a belief in the mystical law of cause and effect: the more positive actions I take, the more wholesome outcomes will manifest in my life. It also serves as a reminder of my own potential for Buddhahood, as well as the potential for all beings to awaken to their highest nature.
The more I immersed myself in this practice, the more it encouraged me to reflect on my daily life. In the morning prayers, I ask for the happiness of all beings, but as I moved through the day, I began to question: Are my thoughts, words, and deeds aligned with that prayer? Am I unintentionally causing harm or negative effects through my behavior? This deepened mindfulness has allowed me to align myself more closely with the Universe and move through each day with greater intention and harmony.
I have kept a journal of my practice and would like to share a couple of moments: One day, while chanting, a ray of bright golden light emanated from the scroll I was chanting to and projected directly towards me, which brought immense peace. On another occasion, while attending one of the monthly meetings and listening to a speaker, a tremendous warmth enveloped my entire body—something I had rarely experienced before. Spiritual experiences are always personal. In addition, they are fleeting, and I must not cling to them.
Another personal goal for 2024 was to resist speaking about anyone who was not present. Although it is not always possible, I strongly feel that we waste a lot of energy on useless chatter that adds no meaning to our lives. I also chose not to mention others’ good or bad news to anyone, as it was not mine to share. A friend, after sharing her good news, asked that I must have known through other sources that she was going to be a grandmother. My response to her was simple: it was not my news to share, and I would never steal her moment of joy while announcing the good news. Similarly, others’ unfortunate news is not mine to spread. No matter what nothing should be ever said with a malicious intent.
There are days when I feel like I’m on the right path, and there are days when I stumble and feel like a fool. But isn’t that the essence of the spiritual journey? We are all in a process of becoming, evolving, and learning.
As we begin 2025, I know the challenges of social media, consumerism, and the pursuit of inner peace will continue to call out to us. But I also know that we are stronger, wiser, and more capable than ever before. May we all walk this path with deep conviction and the unwavering belief that peace, happiness, and joy are not found in external things, but within.
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