In this episode, I share the story of quitting Instagram and what that period of separation taught me about endings, growth, and what it actually means to return to something. What started as a personal reckoning became a much bigger conversation about what these platforms are actually doing to us - how they're designed to hijack your nervous system through shock, rage, and dopamine hits, and why the anxiety so many of us feel might just be a normal response to a very abnormal relationship with technology. And at the root of all of it is one simple question: if you can't put your phone down, is your yes actually a choice?

00:00 - The Power of Choosing to End Something

01:10 - Learning from Mistakes and Moving Forward

02:50 - The Toxic Psychology of Social Media Platforms

04:11 - How Algorithms Exploit Human Attention

08:02 - Your Phone's Impact on the Nervous System

09:44 - Anxiety as a Response to Extractive Technology

Resources:

Need a digital detox? We've put together a free, science-backed protocol with everything you need to reclaim your focus, sleep, and attention — download it here. 

Get My Book! Liberated Love - Release Codependent Patterns and Create the Love You Desire: https://markgroves.com/book

—Explore My Courses: https://markgroves.com/courses

Follow me and my work here:

—Subscribe to my YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/markgrovestv 

—Subscribe to my Substack: https://markgroves.substack.com

—Instagram - @createthelove: https://www.instagram.com/createthelove

—Facebook - @createthelove: https://www.facebook.com/createthelove

Have A Question?—Have a Question For Mark That You’d Like To Hear Answered on the Podcast? Leave us a Voice Note Here: https://www.speakpipe.com/TheMarkGrovesPodcast 

Drop us a note at [email protected] for sponsor product support, questions, comments, guest suggestions, or just to say hello!

This episode is sponsored by:

Cozy Earth: Use code CHANGE for 20% off sitewide at http://www.cozyearth.com

Organifi - High Quality Superfood Supplements To Keep Working Toward Your Goals - Use code CREATETHELOVE for 20% off  www.organifi.com/createthelove 

Instagram, Endings, Breakups, Boundaries, Anxiety, Dopamine, Algorithm, Healing, Growth, Mindfulness, Depression, Detox, Relationships, Consciousness, Nervous system, Discernment, Technology