I reduced my social media usage tremendously this past year by logging off of Facebook. It wasn’t a resolution, or even intentional at first. But the toll it was taking on me was evident so one day I just logged off and never logged back on. I remember the exact day, but that’s not important. The loud, obtrusive opinions on every single side of every single issue was too much. Just too much. So I peaced out of there and let me just tell you - the changes in my life have been significant. My headspace is clearer, the urge to constantly scroll to see what everyone I know is doing is long gone, I have more inner peace, and I genuinely have no ill will toward anyone because I don’t know what anyone is saying! Ignorance is TRULY BLISS, my friends.
Once I got off, I realized real quick what a true addiction that space was for me. I didn't see it while I was in the throes of it, but man - when I got off my eyes were opened and opened wide. Any addiction is unhealthy, and once you’re free from it you’re able to see just what a problem it really was to start with. For me, Facebook was a problem. A major time-waster, an all too often "need" to check it, and if I'm honest, a determiner of my mood. What’s with that? Oh, and don’t forget the "she liked my photo, so I need to go find her stuff and like it all back" black hole. I felt pressure on Facebook because they are all people I know in real life, unlike Instagram. I wanted to make sure I never missed "liking" everyones stuff and I could never catch up. It was a slippery slope from keeping up with friends to true addiction. For me, anyway.
Also, keeping up with two social media accounts is just too much. I often posted the same stuff in each space and since I have a much healthier relationship with Instagram (more visuals - less diatribe), it made sense for me to keep one and toss the other.
Now don’t get me wrong, there are some downsides to being off of there. I don't know about things all the time that are only posted about via Facebook. (Why did FB become our only source of communication? I don't understand.) And I’m in the dark most of the time about what’s happening in my community of people, but really - it’s not a bad place to be. It’s nice, really.
Because the upside to that is more lunch dates, more phone calls, more texts, more face-to-face visits, more actual, personal, real life catching up. And all the unnecessary is filtered out.
Anyway, if you’re feeling addicted - or weighed down - or guilty from any sort of social media usage wherever that may be, I highly encourage the step back. It’s truly been transformative for me in more ways than I’ve even mentioned. You may have thumb withdrawals for the first few days, but within a few weeks time you literally won’t even think of it. Ever!
Now I need to scale back on my Tik Tok scrolling at night. Those ex-cult stories and cleaning videos suck me in every time! If I found an ex-FLDS van lifer who cleaned peoples houses while they told their stories, I may never log off.
Cheers to new beginnings and a fresh year to better our minds, bodies and souls. Log off and live on!
I could have written nearly the same thoughts as you as I just decided to get off FB this year too. Sadly I do miss out on a lot of communication, etc but I feel if I’m truly missed I’ll be contacted. Kudos to you.
ReplyDeleteIt definitely freed me from too much pressure and negative headspace.
I left FB before the presidential election. On one side of me was a close cousin who shared my political leaning. On the other was my brother-in-law who was opposite politically. Both were very strong in their convictions and were always posting political opinions. When my BIL posted something that was untrue, I wrote what I had seen in the actual event he discussed and immediately closed my account. He did respond, but I'll never know what he said. My point was that family was too important. I wasn't about to have a rift between us.
ReplyDeleteMy only regret with leaving FB is that my church posts Sunday morning worship services live through FB. My Bible study group also posts messages on FB. Sometimes someone will remember to send me the message; sometimes I'm just left out. I feel as a born-again Christian, FB is not the place for me to be. So glad you posted this.
I know what it takes to have a good credit score or to maintain it. My credit took a bad turn after I took a business loan late last year. I was at 850+ and after applying for a loan, my credit score dropped drastically. “WEBDRIVE AT WRITEME DOT COM” team was so helpful after complaining to them. I’m so grateful.
ReplyDeleteRemorsefully disclosing the actual occurrence that resulted to the loss in the first place which left all with no option than to seek for urgent help from individuals and yet it wasn't attained or achieved simply because of so many criminal impostors content under so many review, nevertheless it was well said of @Alien Wizbot coming together in one accordance to ensure and put an end to cybercrime, retrieving the public benefit funds meant to renovate community facilities and to help most of the less privilege, the recovery of the lose funds to web swindlers was obtained from Alienwizbot, the help was from no other but Alien Wizbot who indeed uses their Tech skill's to perform this act and became a trending topic online on how alienwizbot was able to help reclaim the allocation funds meant for development and renovation of facilities alienwizbot(at) G M A I L .C O M, remains the best cyber security for hire and technology company to rely on.
ReplyDelete