What is Offline Time?

From 2013-2020, I had a perfectly curated digital life as a wellness influencer. According to the New York Times, I was wellness culture. I shared my life in the form of tiny boxes on Instagram, and it all looked pretty freakin’ good.

And then, in 2019, it all fell apart. Anxiety, paranoia, burnout, OCD, an eating disorder. My dream of reaching millions through Instagram had left me feeling empty, alone, and more lost than ever.

While my page promoted self-care and meditations, I was not so Zen inside.

I walked away from my followers and #sponcon and returned to life as a ‘normal’ person.

In 2021, I started this newsletter to share more about my reflections from a life more offline.

• Offline Time is a newsletter and podcast for anyone who’s ready to critically look at our digital lives.

• It all started when I, an ex-influencer, walked away from my Instagram career and could no longer ignore the problems with our excessive online culture.

• I used to identify as “extremely online”. I started this newsletter to find community and like-minded people who also want to live a life less online.

• Offline Time is for people who think critically about their digital lives, both in how they generate and consume content. 

• Offline Time is for anyone who has the desire to approach our digital world with more intention, clarity, and purpose.

• Offline Time is a place to get inspired through community, awareness, and tiny, grounding, offline practices.

• Offline Time is a newsletter for folks who are tired of the illusions of social media and want to spend less time online, yet still see its benefits and aren’t ready to be full-on Luddites. 

And it all comes from an ex- influencer’s perspective and lived experience.

About Me: 

I am a writer, blogger, speaker, and maker. I’ve been blogging since I was 18. You might have followed me since then (if so, hi; we’re celebrating 14 years together). My first blog was For the Love of Peanut Butter (2008-2009), followed by Lee From America (2013-2020), and now, Offline Time (2022-present).  

I was born and raised along the beaches of Connecticut, right outside NYC. What shapes me? My personal and shared experiences, my friends, my surroundings, books, elders, music, memories, smells, food, family, falling in love, farming, therapy, art, design, mountains, water. 

From 2016-2020, I was a full-time wellness influencer. In my heyday, I had 378K Instagram followers and lived 100% online. It was a really strange, difficult, and fascinating time of my life, and I explore part of that phase in this newsletter, too. 

I live in Brooklyn with my dog, Samson, where I enjoy biking, meandering through the local parks, volunteering at said parks, reading, cooking, and eating at all the delicious restaurants New York City has to offer.

Subscriptions

Offline Time is 100% reader-supported. A large mission of this newsletter is to unite in our offline time, away from the algorithm lords, advertising, and affiliate marketing. If this speaks to you, please consider subscribing. 

The best way you can support me and this mission is by becoming a paid subscriber.

A paid subscription gets you:

• Access to paywalled articles + comment sections

• First access to events and workshops

• Feeling good for supporting a small, ad-free publication

Where does the money go?

This pays my bills and allows me to keep this newsletter alive. I spend up to 30 hours per week upkeeping, editing, ideating, writing, and producing this endeavor.

I am not able to do Offline Time full-time (yet), but with the help of your paid contributions, you make this work worthwhile and keep it afloat. 

What is Dear Lee?

Dear Lee is the advice column of this newsletter available for paid subscribers only. It’s the chance to ask me a more in-depth question and get it answered. Submit your question for a chance to be featured on my advice column.

Stay up-to-date

Every new edition of this newsletter goes directly to your email inbox when you subscribe. You can also access it on a browser by heading to the main site. If you are having trouble, please email lee@leetilghman.com.

This newsletter is copyedited by Margaret May.