BREAKING FREE FROM THE SCROLL: How Painting Reshaped My Relationship with Social Media

How Painting Reshaped My Relationship with Social Media

For a long time, I felt like I was caught in the web of a relationship with social media.  At first, it seemed supportive, keeping me informed, entertained, and connected. But over time, I started noticing something—what I was consuming was impacting me in ways I didn’t like. There were moments of joy, of course—funny videos, heartwarming stories, and glimpses into the lives of people I care about. But more often than not, I felt frustration bubbling up. Anger at the way the world was behaving. An inability to trust what I was seeing and not knowing what to believe anymore. I felt a deep sense of disappointment. Sometimes, even shame. And yet, despite knowing how it made me feel, I kept scrolling. Rather than forcing myself to “quit” or battling with willpower, I decided to try something different. I picked up a paintbrush.

Tracy Miles – PR, Author, Artist

Swapping the Scroll for Something Creative

I didn’t plan for painting to take over—I just knew I needed a different kind of engagement. One that didn’t leave me drained or reactive. I started with acrylic pouring, and let me tell you, it has been so much fun! Picking colours, experimenting with new techniques, messing it up, and then—sometimes—fixing it. Other times, I just let it be and found beauty in the mess and the chaos.

It turns out, there’s something incredibly soothing about watching colours blend and move. It requires presence, curiosity, and a willingness to let go of control—exactly the opposite of what social media was demanding and pulling me toward. Instead of reacting to the world, I was creating my own, a world where I was rewarded with the vibrancy of colour and design.

Inspiration in Every Session

At first, I painted in between my therapy sessions. It became a deeply inspiring experience—each person I sat with offered me something that sparked my next painting. Their energy, their stories, the emotions in the room—all of it found its way into my work.

But as my love for painting grew, so did my space for it. I created a lovely studio for myself at home, and now, instead of painting between sessions, I go home and immerse myself in it fully. Some days I begin my day with a flow of colour across my canvas. It has become part of my rhythm, a way to decompress, awaken to the day, reflect, and create something new for the energy of the day.

The Bigger Picture

What started as a personal experiment has now grown into something more. I have so many paintings and now need places for them to live. Next week, I’ll be launching a campaign to sell my paintings with a large portion of the proceeds going to  support a community cause close to my heart. I’ll be sharing more details about that soon, but for now, keep an eye out!

If you’ve ever felt stuck in the cycle of scrolling, I encourage you to find something—anything—that brings you back to yourself. Creativity, movement, connection… whatever speaks to you. For me, it was paint.

Maybe it’s time to put down the phone and pick up something new. You never know where it might take you.

Tracy Miles
RP, Author, Artist 😊

Watch for the campaign launch next week!

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