
For the first time since launching my art business online, I stepped away. No Instagram posts, no reels, no curated captions—just me, my husband, and the humbling experience of exploring a culture vastly different from our own. That break was a blessing, and a revelation.

Until then, I was consumed by my digital presence. I planned content with precision, posted religiously, and invested my limited spare time—outside a day job—feeding the algorithm. So much, in fact, that before the trip, I had seriously considered creating social media content while on holiday. Can you imagine? As if rest required productivity to be justified.
But standing in the rhythm of another world, I found stillness. My holidays are sacred—not just moments of rest, but living lessons from places far from home. They’re a form of education that deserves undivided attention. And no story, no feed update, should interrupt that.
Returning home, I felt more certain than ever. I don’t want to become a slave to social media. That truth echoed even louder when I tuned into an art podcast that casually—but powerfully—said: “Make art, not content.”

Yes. That’s it. That’s my new motto. My new mantra. The line I draw in the sand.
Social media still has its place—I won’t abandon it entirely. But my studio will come first. My canvas will get my time. And my website,annalisamongioart.com, will be where my passion lives. I’m choosing presence over performance. Integrity over reach.
To any artist trying to balance creation and content: protect your craft. Chase inspiration, not approval. Because the world doesn’t need more content—it needs your art.
Do you believe social media helps or hinders creative growth? I’d love to hear your thoughts.
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