Reflecting on My Relationship with Social Media:
A Look Back
Hey Caffeinated Collective,
I am pausing to share a piece I wrote about my relationship with social media two years ago. At the time, I had thoughts that I believe you can relate to—how it can feel like both a tool and a distraction.
In this next piece (I'm literally working on it!), I explore whether social media is the enemy or simply a reflection of ourselves.
As I've grown and my relationship with social media has evolved, I've gained new insights and perspectives that have shifted how I see things. It's a journey of growth and learning that I'm sure you can relate to.
is social media the enemy or a reflection?
As a part-time consumer of social media, at some point, one grows tired. Tired of marketing, annoyed from being influenced, drained from measuring up, the exhaustion adds up rather quickly.
It's easy to be blinded by ignorance and remain unconscious in our actions; how many likes did I get? How many people have I engaged with? How many views did I get on that last video - that's where the shade begins to creep in, and validation seeps into the unconscious mind. Before one can recognize, we are overdosing on confirmation from people we have little connection with. The consequence is bringing Invalidation or Lack into your real-life experience.
Can one find joy in the present moment, or is it n e c e s s a r y to check for likes during that experience? Is the break-in engagement worth checking the notification and missing the punchline, only to be called back to presence by laughter and risking the "what happened" when, realistically, the joke is lifeless the second time around? Does searching for validation on social media amid a real-life experience fill our cup, or is it taking from our Being? Is social media the enemy, or have we gotten lost in our reflection? Is the purpose of social media to remain engaged or to practice disengaging?
Again, I beg the question: Is social media the enemy or a mere reflection of self? Asking for a friend. . . .literally, all of them!
Next Sunday!
I'll share an updated version of this piece with fresh thoughts on where I stand today. I'm eagerly looking forward to hearing your thoughts on this journey of mine.
Cheers!