If you were active on social media at any capacity on Wednesday, then you may have noticed the Facebook and Instagram glitch. I updated the Instagram app earlier that morning and immediately saw issues posting on Facebook as well as viewing and posting photos on Instagram. I found myself repeatedly trying to post Instastories to no avail, and restarting my phone. I figured the powers that be would fix the issue in no time, and it would be business as usual.
WRONG!
It was a full day before Instagram and Facebook were back to normal. I learned a lot about myself during my inadvertent social media fast – I WAS ACTUALLY MORE PRODUCTIVE! I have taken social media fasts before, but there is something about being powerless and at the mercy of the social media gawds. I didn’t panic. I didn’t get agitated by the loss of connection to this virtual world that has been a part of my daily routine. I embraced it. There is an incredible level of peace that comes from disconnecting from the Internet and tuning into yourself. I felt more present and mindful of my surroundings.
While others may have panicked or had a negative response about the social media downtime, I chose to connect with myself and my environment. In a moment of pure transparency, I felt the need to take more time off, but I didn’t. I got sucked back in once I saw that everything was back up and running. I noticed that when I spend too much time on social media, I am tense, stressed or anxious.
Social media is a conglomerate of thirst-trap photos, attention-seeking behaviors, cute baby photos, pregnancy/wedding/engagement announcements, oversharing, relationship drama, and it can be an overload to our senses. Don’t get me wrong, I love reading posts and seeing pictures of friends and loved ones sharing positive moments in their lives but sometimes it can be downright overwhelming. The way my mind is set up, too much information sends me into a mental frenzy. Several studies document the adverse effect that social media has on users and it isn’t hard to deduce why!
I challenge you to take some time to disconnect from social media and reconnect with yourself. It can be a simple as taking one day a week to disconnect from technology (within your control) and connect with yourself and indulge in self-care, read a book, connect with nature, connect with God/spirituality, meditation, the options are endless. I genuinely believe that social media has in some way disconnected us from humanity, and that disconnection ties to the negativity we often see online.
If this blog was a call to action by any means, it would be to disconnect to reconnect with yourself. There is so much power in mindfulness and having the ability to shut off external noise and distractions and be one with yourself. TRY IT!!
Until next time…
xoxo
The Honest Aquarian
The Honest Aquarian 