Why I'm Ditching Social Media
I have officially decided that Social Media is bad for my health.
My mental health. My spiritual health. My emotional health.
While my physical and financial health are not affected by social media, 3 out of 5 still adds up to be the majority. Social Media negatively affects my health way too much!
No bueno.
What do I mean?
I get distracted way too easily. I used to tell people that I have the worst case of undiagnosed A.D.D.
Seriously, bright colors, thought hopping...
"Oh, were you saying something? Mmmm (just nod and smile Car nod and smile)"
Rather than using social media for the useful tool it can be I have allowed social media to become a HUGE distraction. Ugh. There I go taking responsibility for my actions in the form of a confession. Eww. Yuck. Gross. :Sticks out tongue: I digress. (See what I mean about A.D.D.?) Anyhoo...moving on...or else back to what I was saying...I have allowed Social Media to become a HUGE distraction.
And while I am oh so tempted to make myself look better by offering some kind of excuse and saying something like "Even though I don't use it that much," or at least clarifying that I'm Not a creeper who uses social media to stalk people...that's neither here nor there.
It really doesn't matter how often I use social media, it's the way I use it, or at least the way I'm tempted to use it.
I'm an introvert at heart. I value sincere social interaction not the shallow stuff social media offers. I don't want to forget that and I find that social media often tempts me to forget.
You see, Social media has allowed people to create (or else re-create) themselves. Most everyone on Instagram, or Facebook, or Twitter, etc., is leading this AMAZING life that we should care about and therefore follow for updates ( :rolls eyes: ). That's what social media is selling and I'm not buying it. Not anymore.
Ever notice how everyone is always smiling in their pictures??? Social Media encourages us to share every aspect of our lives with our "public" no matter how large or small that public may be. We do this through posting photos on Instagram or checking in to places on Facebook, or by tweeting some profound thought on Twitter. But in reality Social Media is teaching us to hide our true selves and to show only what we think people want/need to see.And people don't need to see us at our lowest point, oh no! And they certainly don't want to see us with no make-up on....
No, we have to convince our public that we are living the fabulous life that all is well in our world. We have to convince our public that in some way they need to want to be us...whether it's a need to want to have our pretty face, or our body shape, or our ultra awesome friends, or our perfect relationship with our significant other, or our finances, or our profound thoughts...
We are compelled to convince our public to like us by highlighting what they may be lacking in their own lives because secretly we need to be validated. How sick is that!?!
It's all a charade! Why? Because it doesn't tell the whole story.
Of course there are exceptions! There are sincere people who choose to use those social media channels to share the ups and downs and twists and turns in their journey all in an effort to encourage others. But the overwhelming majority does not do this.
I am best able to be transparent about my own journey through this blog, those other channels often tempt me to only highlight the glamorous moments in my life. Enough of that!
The reality of it is I need to make moves! NOT waste time pretending I'm making moves on Social Media. Ya digg!?!
I'm not going to be all dramatic and shut down or deactivate my existing accounts...No. I have however deleted the apps on my phone. I won't delete any pictures or posts already out there but there certainly won't be any new ones for a long while.
I will continue to use social mediabut now only as a tool to remain in contact with my friends and family, to build solid business relationships and connections and for promoting others and any businesses or projects I'm affiliated with.
Practically speaking, that looks like a limited amount of time that has to be scheduled into my planner. Outside of those things and outside of that time, you won't find me on there.
For updates and the complete story of my life and more so my thinking process filled with its ups and downs, its boring moments, ugly decisions, silly questions, and random thoughts see me here on my blog, that's the real.Total transparency all in an attempt to encourage even one other someone else (Yes, I was an English major) to speak up or to remind them that they matter.
Care or don't care, hate it or love it, agree or disagree, that's where I am at present. If it's not your cup of tea, leave it be. It was good while it lasted...I hope. LOL.
Dear Pilgrims,
We must find what makes us free, then we must do it and we must hold on to that freedom at all costs. If you're following the crowd, then you're not free my friend.
Live free!
-Some Call Me Car