Experimenting

I'm in a funk.  I am.  Plain and simple.  I'm not sure where it originated or what caused it, but I have a theory.  (If you're a social media activist this is your cue to put on some ear muffs or a blindfold while I rant)  Social Media is little by little ruining our lives.  There, I said it.  This, coming from me, may sound a bit hypocritical because I can insta, tweet, like, pursue mayorships, and right or left swipe with the best of them.  Don't get me wrong, I LOVE social media and it is an incredibly valuable tool for sharing information and staying connected, but it can also do those of us that use it regularly a major disservice.  As of late I have found myself focusing much more on cyber reality rather than real life reality.  I get caught up on how many likes my posts get, waste minutes coming up with witty responses and stalk the heck out of people I don't know and will never know.  It's causing me to value superficial interactions rather than real ones.

Take a second and think back to the last human to human interaction that you've had.  Were both of you talking?  What was said?  What questions did you ask?  Did you learn something new about that person?  I'm thinking back to a conversation that I "participated" in last night....and by participated I mean I sat in the back seat and tweeted at the driver and asked for a repeat of what was said multiple times because I was too busy scrolling through my timelines to actually be engaged in what was happening.  So rude of me.  Gross.  Bleh.  My apologies to everyone I've ever done that to.

Besides causing me to be a ghost in reality, social media has stirred up some major insecurities within me.  It feels weird to admit this but it's the truth. When I'm perusing my favorite sites, it doesn't take me long to realize the things that I'm not.  Something as little as a picture of someone visiting a cool place or accomplishing something awesome can fill me with a weird jealousy rather than genuine happiness for them and their life.  It makes me competitive in a medium that shouldn't be used for competition but rather celebration.  

I could go on and on and talk about so many little things that social media does to me, but I think I've made enough of a point.  Sooooo...I'm experimenting this week.  I want to see if there is a drastic change in the quality of my life when I'm actually living my life.  My challenge: Starting at 5pm today NO Twitter, Instagram, Foursquare, Tinder, Snapchat, Facebook, etc...until Sunday, November 17th @ 5pm.  Is it the typical social media fast?  Yes, but with objectives.  I'm going to pay attention to the following areas of my life to see how much they improve or suck over the course of a week: Friendships, School, Work, Exercise, Self-Esteem, and Overall Mood/Demeanor.  

Check back here next Sunday for an update on how it went.  If you'd like to join me, let me know and we can compare our experiences and form a social media addict support group.  

Peace out!

Chelsea