Just Start: Co-Creating.

Dear Andre, (2 min read)

What once was a curse can feel like an oasis.

What if I stopped passively consuming and became a co-creator instead?

Sometimes I hear people say social media is a virus. That it’s rewiring our brains. That we’re so busy capturing moments, we miss the actual moment.

And you know what?

They’re right. I’ve been guilty of this.

Instagram can drain you. You post something—and suddenly you’re tethered. Like a spider waiting to feel the web twitch. “Did they see it?” “Did it do well?” “Why didn’t it do better?”

It’s exhausting. But it doesn’t have to be.

I took a two-week break from Instagram in june.

And when I came back, I noticed something strange: I didn't miss it.

I knew I wanted to change how I used it. I wondered... Could I become a co-creator?

So I tried something different. One day on a train, I gave myself 15 minutes. That’s it.

But this time? I didn’t scroll mindlessly. I responded. To every Story. Every post. Every Reel. My goal was to interact.

And here’s the wild part: I left that session feeling good. Like it had actually fed me, instead of drained me.

Why? Because I treated it like a conversation.

That shift changed everything for me. And it led to a new question: What if I stopped passively consuming and became a co-creator instead?

Sidenote: If you do this, you put yourself in the .02% of people. look at a youtube video. 25k views. 58 comments. most people watch few share their thoughts.

So now, I choose who I want to interact with:

• Youtube channels: who I want to learn from and why.

• Newsletters on subjects like photography and art I want to read each week

• Business people on instagram I want to see and interact with each day.

When I open the app, I start there. I comment. I DM.

Sidenote: I remember what people shared, and bring it up in real life. (and no one does this)

And because of that, the algorithm learns what I care about. But more importantly—I remember people.

This is how social media becomes a gift, not a trap. It requires energy. Intention. But it gives back in meaningful relationship and inspiration.

The result? Less comparison. More connection. Less noise. More purpose.

✅ Action:

Try this today:

1. Pre Decide:

   • Which youtube channels do you want to watch?

   • Which podcasts do you want to listen to?

   • Which newsletters will you read?

   • Which 5 friends will you choose to interact with on Instagram/facebook?

   • Which 5 accounts help your business/career/hobby on instagram/facebook?

2. Engage

   • Don’t just like. Comment. Respond.

   • Treat it like they texted/emailed you personally.

3. Reframe it

   • This isn’t a feed. It’s a table. Sit down. Share. Listen.

And if you do this, social media will start to feel human again. It won’t fix your loneliness. But it might make you feel a little less alone.

PS:

This is something I talk about in my book Just Start, especially in Chapter 3, the Human Problem. There’s a moment in Turkey, perched over the Black Sea. A breathtaking view. And yet—I felt lonely. Because beauty doesn’t erase our need for connection.

Social media can’t either. But it can be a tool for connection, learning, and growth, if we use it wisely.

If this resonated, reply and tell me one creator or friend who’s helped you see social media as a gift.

Together, we can shift the narrative.

Let’s make it human again.

—Daniel