When I stopped blogging I also cut down my reading on the web. I just didn't have the headspace or concentration to keep up with it all.
I exported the feeds from /reader as OPML (for backup purposes) and was pretty ruthless in what I retained – a core of only about 20 feeds.
Since planning the return I looked back at that export and realised that most of the feeds in there didn't really appeal to me any more. I've re-added a few, focusing on people and their stories, but most are no longer relevant to where I want to be.
Good point about checking whether the feeds you follow are still relevant to you. And some that I've had in the past were, I now realise, not helpful to me and in a few cases were not doing my mental health any good. It's particularly important to avoid falling into the trap of replicating all the stuff you were following on social media – stuff optimised for engagement may not necessarily be stuff you want to voluntarily consume.
Exactly. I think some feeds were there because I felt I should be following them rather than because I genuinely wanted to. Not any more. That's not good for you.