The Art of the Digital Purge

Have you ever noticed how satisfying it is to throw things away? When life gets messy—maybe after a breakup, a fallout with a friend, or a tough career pivot—most of us look for a way to reset. For me, that therapy is cleaning. When I was recently fired and had to rethink my entire future, I spent a whole day tossing out old files and organizing my space. It worked. Clearing my physical surroundings gave me the mental clarity I desperately needed.

But in the digital world, we often expect a "one-click" fix. We want to press a button and erase people, moments, and memories instantly. We go on "unfollow" sprees when our "karma" feels off, but we forget that behind those profiles are real people with real feelings. I have a friend who was deeply hurt by an unfollow, only to realize later that the person who did it was going through a traumatic divorce.

Digital "cleaning" is expected, but it has consequences. My advice? Keep your inner circle small and authentic. That way, when you’re not feeling cheerful or you need to go quiet, the people who matter will actually understa

nd.