December Wrap-Up: What Social Media Is Really Doing to Our Minds And How We Can Reclaim Our Peace

As the year winds down, December brought a powerful theme to Healing Is My Hobby:

our relationship with social media, our nervous systems, and our emotional well-being.

Whether we realize it or not, most of us live in a constant state of low-level overstimulation. Our brains are absorbing more information in an hour than previous generations consumed in an entire day. And for many of us, that information is coming from one place:

Social media.

This month, through our Therapy Is My Cardio series and the Healing Lab experiment, I took a deep dive into what social media is doing to us — not just psychologically, but physically, emotionally, and neurologically.
Here’s what I learned, what surprised me, and the small shifts that can help all of us feel more grounded in a digital world that never stops moving.

📱 The Emotional Cost of Constant Stimulation

In our December Therapy Is My Cardio episode, we explored the cognitive load of scrolling — how every image, video, caption, opinion, and emotional tone becomes something for our brains to process.

In just one minute of scrolling, we encounter:

• facial expressions

• political takes

• celebrations and tragedies

• humor and beauty standards

• ads

• opinions

• conflict

• inspiration

• comparison triggers

This flood of content creates:

• mental fatigue

• fragmented attention

• irritability

• emotional numbness

• overstimulation

It’s not that social media is inherently bad — it’s that our brains were never designed for this much input.

💬 How Social Media Shapes Our Mood, Identity, and Nervous System

Throughout December, we talked about:

Comparison Culture

How easy it is to measure our worth against curated highlight reels — and how this distorts our sense of self.

Validation Loops

The pull of “just checking” becomes a habit loop reinforced by dopamine, making it harder to disconnect.

Emotional Overload

Even positive content takes up emotional space.
Our systems can only absorb so much before they shut down.

Trauma Triggers

For many people, certain content activates old wounds — often without them realizing what’s happening in their body.

🧪 The Healing Lab: My 4-Day Social Media Reset

This month, I put myself through a real experiment:
I logged off for four days.

I didn’t expect it to be easy, but I was surprised by how often I reached for my phone without thinking.
The urge to check — especially in the first 48 hours — was strong. It wasn’t about connection. It was a reflex, a coping strategy, a way to avoid discomfort.

Here’s what I learned:

1. Discomfort Is Insightful

When I couldn’t scroll, emotions surfaced: boredom, loneliness, irritation, fatigue.
Those emotions weren’t problems — they were information.

2. Social Media Adds Less Value Than I Thought

Once the urges quieted, I realized how peaceful it felt not to be plugged in.

3. “Post It and Leave It” Is My New Rule

Borrowing from Therapy Is My Cardio, I now share content without checking it afterward.
No likes. No comments. No spirals.

4. My Productivity and Presence Increased

With fewer micro-distractions, I felt more grounded, creative, and connected to my actual life.

5. I’m More Intentional Now

I don’t avoid social media — but I choose when I use it.
And that choice makes all the difference.

💡 What December Taught All of Us

Across every episode and experiment, a clear message emerged:

Our digital lives need boundaries. Not punishment, not restriction — boundaries that help us return to ourselves.

Some of the most powerful shifts are simple:

• No-morning scrolling

• App limits

• Notifications off

• Posting without monitoring

• One-breath interruptions

• Replacing scrolling with something grounding

• Asking: “What is my body needing right now?”

These practices don’t eliminate social media — they transform our relationship with it.

🌱 Closing Reflection: Reclaiming Our Digital Peace in 2026

As we move into a new year, consider this:

Social media can be a tool, a connector, and a source of creativity —
but only when we stay in the driver’s seat.

December reminded me, and hopefully reminded you, that:

• our attention is precious

• our nervous system has limits

• our emotional well-being deserves protection

• our real lives are happening outside the scroll

If this month taught us anything, it’s that intentionality changes everything.

Here’s to a calmer, clearer, more grounded digital life in the year ahead.
And here’s to choosing connection that nourishes — not overstimulates.

Healing Lab: Can Heat + Tiny Creative Moments Really Help With Burnout? Here’s What I Learned

Burnout isn’t just “being tired.”
It’s a full-body, full-brain depletion that can make even simple things feel overwhelming. And during November’s burnout theme on the Healing Is My Hobby podcast, I wanted to put two gentle, accessible practices to the test — not theoretical self-care, but real-life experiments I could do as a busy therapist, mom, and human who’s sometimes running on fumes.

So this month’s Healing Lab explored two questions:

1. Does warm-water therapy actually melt burnout?
2. Can tiny glittery dots (AKA diamond painting) calm a fried nervous system?

Here’s what happened when I tried both.

🔥 Experiment 1: Warm-Water Immersion (A.K.A. Heat Therapy)

Why I Tried It

Burnout lives in the body. When we’re overwhelmed, our stress response system, specifically the sympathetic nervous system, gets stuck on “high alert.” Warm water naturally helps shift the body into rest mode. Research shows that passive heat therapy:

• Lowers cortisol

• Reduces muscle tension

• Improves sleep quality

• Activates the parasympathetic “rest & restore” mode

In other words: heat helps your body breathe again.

What I Tested

To make this experiment realistic (because not every night allows for a spa-level routine), I tried three versions:

1. A nightly 10-minute hot tub ritual
No phone, soft lighting, silence.

2. An Epsom salt bath with calming music
A little at-home retreat energy.

3. A foot soak + breathwork combo
Perfect for busy days when I didn’t have time or energy for more.

What I Noticed

It was almost shocking how quickly my body responded. Within seconds of getting into warm water, my shoulders dropped. My breath slowed. That “tight chest burnout feeling” loosened.

Here’s what stood out:

• The hot tub helped me sleep deeper and wake up less tense.

• The bath was the most soothing emotionally—I felt genuinely comforted.

• The foot soak was the easiest and most surprisingly effective. Paired with slow breathing, it gave me a full nervous system reset in under five minutes.

Does heat therapy melt burnout?
Not magically. But yes, it softens it. It creates space. It helps the body remember what calm feels like.

🎨 Experiment 2: Diamond Painting & Slow Crafting

Why I Tried It

Burnout isn’t just physical exhaustion, it’s cognitive overload.
Slow, repetitive creative activities activate “flow,” a state that:

• Decreases rumination

• Boosts mood through gentle dopamine release

• Restores attention

• Helps the brain focus on one soothing task

Diamond painting felt like the perfect low-pressure entry point.

What I Tested

• Diamond painting bookmarks (small + doable)

• Mini cross-stitch

• Paint-by-number

• Clay bead bracelet making

What I Noticed

Starting was the hardest part, burnout makes initiation feel huge. But once I began, something shifted:

• Diamond painting was my favorite. It was calming, structured, and offered tiny sparkles of joy (literally).

• Cross-stitch was the most meditative but required more patience.

• Paint-by-number was soothing but better for longer stretches.

• Bracelet-making was fun, bright, and perfect to do with my kids.

Do tiny glittery dots fix burnout?
Not completely.
But they absolutely helped my brain downshift, get present, and find micro-moments of joy, which are essential for recovery.

💛 The Big Takeaway

Burnout recovery doesn’t have to be dramatic.
It doesn’t require quitting your job, running away to a cabin, or reinventing your entire life.

It requires small, consistent moments of nervous-system repair.

Warm water softened my body.
Slow crafting softened my mind.

Together, they created space for me to breathe again — little windows of “me” within the chaos.

And that’s the whole spirit of the Healing Lab: tiny experiments that help us come home to ourselves.

✨ Try It Yourself: A Mini Healing Practice

If you want to try your own version of this Healing Lab experiment, choose one of these:

• A 5-minute warm foot soak

• A 2-minute diamond painting session

• One small row of a slow craft

Set a timer.
Let it be imperfect.
Let your nervous system downshift.

And if you try it, I’d love to hear about your experience — you can tag me on Instagram @healingismyhobby or send me a message.

Embracing Balance: October as a Season for Grounding

October marks a shift. The air gets crisper, the days shorten, and life often speeds up as we prepare for the holiday season ahead. While fall can be cozy and comforting, it can also stir up stress, anxiety, and feelings of being stretched too thin. This month is the perfect invitation to pause, check in with yourself, and find practices that keep you grounded.

Why Fall Transitions Can Feel Heavy

Seasonal changes can affect our mood, energy, and sleep. Our bodies are adjusting to less daylight, our schedules tend to get busier, and expectations—both at work and at home—start to pile up. It’s no wonder many of us notice an increase in stress and anxiety during this time.

Instead of pushing through, October offers an opportunity to slow down, recalibrate, and nurture your emotional well-being.

Simple Grounding Practices for October

Here are a few ways to support yourself this month:

• Create an evening routine. As the days shorten, prioritize sleep by winding down with a calming ritual—reading, stretching, or journaling.

• Set seasonal boundaries. Say no to the commitments that drain you, and yes to the ones that restore you. Protect your energy.

• Get outside. Even short walks in the crisp fall air can boost your mood and reduce stress.

• Journal for clarity. Take five minutes to write down what’s on your mind. This simple practice helps organize thoughts and calm anxious energy.

• Practice mindful breathing. A few deep breaths can shift your nervous system from stress to calm in just moments.

An Invitation to Heal

Healing doesn’t have to be complicated or perfect—it’s about experimenting with small shifts that support your mental health and create space for peace. October is a reminder that just as the seasons change, so can we. We get to release what no longer serves us and make room for rest, reflection, and renewal.

Take this month to listen to your body, honor your needs, and give yourself permission to slow down. Your healing is not just important—it’s essential.

welcome to healing is my hobby

I’m so glad you’re here. Healing Is My Hobby is a podcast created for therapy-curious adults who want real support, practical tools, and a little encouragement along the way. Healing can feel overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be heavy. This space is designed to be warm, inviting, and just a little playful—because growth and self-care should feel doable and human.

Each episode combines my clinical experience as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with nearly two decades in the field, alongside my curiosity and love of trying new approaches. Together, we’ll explore the science of mental health, practical tools, and creative ways to bring more peace and balance into your everyday life.

I started this podcast because I know healing isn’t linear. It’s a journey filled with stops, starts, and unexpected detours. My hope is that Healing Is My Hobby gives you permission to explore, experiment, and find what truly works for you. This is your invitation to take a breath, set down the weight you’re carrying, and step into a community where your healing matters.

Welcome to the journey—I’m honored you’re here.

— Jessica Colarco, LCSW