Hey Reader,

Nine years ago I met a precious friend. We had some things in common, most significant at that time was that we gave birth within a few months of each other at the same birth center in Boulder, Colorado.

She and I connected instantly, chatting long after the event we’d both been invited to had ended. Our husbands even hit it off! (Bonus points all around.) And our babies—now 9 year olds—are on track to be friends for life.

But at one point in our conversation she said the oddest thing:

“I’m not on social media.”

😮😮 I was taken aback. I didn’t know anyone my age who wasn’t on social media…I mean, at least you have a Facebook account to stay connected to high school friends, right?

No. She didn't.

But now, knowing what we know today about the addictive nature of our phones, how the drama is never-ending on social apps, and how totally anxious I feel about my children having access to social media one day, I’ve begun to wonder if my friend, who seemed out of vogue at the time, may have had more wisdom about this than I could have imagined.

I recount this story because of my recent conversation on the podcast with Mary Kathryn Tiller from Writing Off Social, a podcast and course that empowers Christian women writers to grow their audience without the burnout that comes with being on social media.

When Mary K. first told me that this was her newest dream, I thought, “Wow! Okay. Is that a thing people do?”

But as time has gone on, I’ve become more and more intrigued by the people with big dreams, who CHOOSE not to be on social media and find other creative ways to share the dream and/or grow their business or ministry.

If you’ve ever felt a smidge of social media burnout or questioned whether the time you spend creating there is really giving you any return on that investment, you’re going to love this week’s podcast episode: How Can Your Dream Thrive if You’re Not on Social Media?

In it you’ll hear Mary K. and I talking about:

🚶‍♀️The emotional toll of social media and practical steps for leaving without losing your audience,

✨ The important role your faith plays in guiding these decisions, and

💡 How to build community and find support beyond social platforms.

The goal of this episode is not to convince you that social media is bad or that you need to purge your social media apps today. Rather it’s to inform and inspire you to trust in your own unique path for sharing your God-shaped dream. Whether you are a writer, ministry leader, entrepreneur, or small business owner, there's a wealth of insights waiting for you in this week’s episode.

🎧 Listen to the full episode here and be sure to grab the PDF guide from Writing Off Social titled "27 Ways to Grow Your Audience Without Social Media."

And if you, like my dear friend, are one who’s never been on social media or you’re already figuring out creative and fruitful ways to get the word out about the passion on your heart, I’d love to connect with you.

Hit “reply” on this message and let’s start a conversation about how we can collaborate and support one another in our dreams.

With you,

~Merritt

P.S. Do you have a dream that’s still just an idea—meaning you haven’t taken any action (except writing out some back-of-a-napkin scribbles)? I’d love to know that about you because you probably need something different than the dreamer who’s actively taking steps. Click here to raise your hand 🙋‍♀️ if that’s you. That way I can make a point of paying attention to where you’re at in the process as I create future content.
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