Social Media Burnout Made Me Do This

I didn’t plan to start a newsletter. Not really. But I did plan to run away from social media at least twice a week for the past two years. You know that feeling? The doom scrolling. The low-level anxiety. That “why am I still here?” vibe that creeps in after 11pm.

It all started when I noticed how every app was making me feel loud on the outside, but empty on the inside. I’d jump online to “connect” but leave feeling more alone. My thoughts weren’t mine anymore — they were filtered through trends, algorithms, hot takes, and half-read captions.

And I thought: Surely there’s got to be a better way to share, reflect, and just... be.

So I opened a blank page and wrote. Not for likes. Not for views. Just for the sake of presence.

That’s when With Salam was born — a gentle corner of the internet where I could speak to sisters directly, in their inboxes, with none of the noise. No fighting the algorithm. No shouting to be heard. Just words wrapped in warmth, deen, and honesty.

Creating this newsletter has been like building a little digital majlis. A place to pause, reflect, and say, “Hey, you're not alone.” It’s the opposite of a highlight reel. It’s real. Messy. Beautiful. And rooted in faith.

I wanted something sustainable. Something that could grow slowly with the right intentions. Something that serves — not drains.

So if you’ve ever felt like your soul needs a breather from the scroll, this is your invitation. Not to disappear entirely — but to re-centre. To recalibrate. To reconnect.

Here, we don’t do perfect aesthetics or curated captions. We do reflections, reminders, and that quiet voice in your head that says: Alhamdulillah, I needed to read this today.

May this space bring barakah to both our lives.
May it feel like a breath of fresh air.
May it be what social media never could.

With love and salam,
A sister who finally logged off.