To begin, I am quite aware of the irony that lies in an article talking about taking a break from social media being written for social media. I am also aware of how consuming social media has become in everyones lives. It seems that we, as a society, have become increasingly dependent on our social media personas, myself included. Instagram likes, Twitter favorites, and Facebook shares are what we turn to for validation that we are relevant. Although it may be fun to take unique photos or post witty tweets, none of these define a person and I hope they never will.
Recently, my social media has been grabbing at all my attention. Having a conversation with me was nearly impossible unless you enjoy "yeah" and "sick, dude" in perfect shuffle. I felt anxious if I didn't have constant access to twitter or snapchat. When I saw snapchat stories or read tweets of my friends having fun without me, I immediately felt left out. Being exposed to that made me overthink and cause turmoil in my close relationships. In an effort to better myself, I deleted them all. I am not saying that anyone should have go to these lengths. i just needed to take a beat to reconnect to the real word.
Social Media does have its upsides like networking and possible financial gain if you have enough followers, but it should not entirely consume life. What people may say about you based on your social media should isn't a real opinion, so please take it with a grain of salt. This side of social media, the one where people get to share their views, thoughts, and work is a blessing. I love this, the idea that my writing or someones photography could brighten someones day. I love the idea that we can put into words what someone else in the world may be feeling but not able to express.I want to remind everyone that what you say on social media is there forever, make it something positive.
These are just some thoughts I've had while I've been away from my "followers". When I do decide to return to my networks, I hope that I'm more conscious of what I say, in the chance that it could hurt someone else. I want to be a role model for the people who keep up with me, although I may not be famous. I don't want any of those reading this to obsess over who unfollowed them or how #relatable their posts are. All of the beauty you see locked away in Vsco Filters can be found outside, all of the texts posts you quote can be found on novels. There is so much more to life than what is behind your screen, find it.