We mimic what we see.
So what are you choosing to put in front of you?
“A” and I started playing a game where we take his stuffies and look out the window and we take turns telling each other what we see.
It’s very interesting to see my son come home from hanging out with his friends and suddenly he’s using new mannerisms and phrases that are obviously from the kids he just hung out with.
I took a little over a week and got off the inter webs. Social media at least. It was a nice way to prepare for Christmas. And since we live where we work and didn’t go to the mainland to see family for Christmas this year I wanted our break to feel different, set apart. Disconnecting from social media helped with that. (Along with meals that were different too)
I’ve deleted instagram and twitter from my phone. And I’m not going to put them back on. It’s just to convenient to get lost in the endless scrolling.
Sometimes while endlessly scrolling, I feel like I’m looking for something, I don’t know what, but I never leave feeling fulfilled.
We recently switched over to mint mobile to save a ton on our phone bill and the first month I just used data (not wifi) to see how it worked. Guess what my most used app for data was? Instagram. So much that even though I have an unlimited plan, near the end of the month my speeds got throttled to an unbearable speed.
What “should” I be doing instead of all that mindless scrolling? Probably reading a real book, I’m sure I’d be happier with that investment of my time rather than whatever novel, junk food, social media tabloid, shiny content someone is producing.
I deleted Facebook from my phone a while ago. I logged into Facebook yesterday on my computer and within three posts had an emotional reaction to something someone posted. I quickly logged off.
It’s really easy to get stirred up on the internet. I don’t want internet strangers or acquaintances or people who I like in real life but don’t enjoy on the internet, or “friends” where the season of friendship is actually expired and wouldn’t know about or talk to if social media didn’t exist, to have that much access and influence over my daily life.
Why should I allow my day to be ruined by something someone I don’t even really know said on the internet? It’d be better not to know.
When you’re scrolling through your feed how many peoples voices are you consuming? Would you literally let all of those people crawl into bed with you and whisper (or shout) into your ear before bed? Would you want that many phone calls the first thing when you wake up?
I’m trying to draw healthy boundaries with social media. I’ve also seen a lot about how bad blue light from our screens is for our circadian rhythm. I invested in a $8 travel alarm clock and charged my phone in the living room last night.
I use twitter to jot thoughts throughout the day. I follow more “thought leaders” there. I wonder how much “thought leading” is just reacting to bad news. People become influential on the internet because they are controversial, then they post about whatever made them popular.
Does an overconsumption of what’s going on out there help me be more effective of what’s going on right here?
I actually probably only interact with two people on twitter. Both of whom I interacted with through text while I wasn’t on social media. I’d rather share thoughts in direct conversation than tweeting to the oblivion.
I’d love to just be completely done with social media. But I tried that for a year and half once.
And we lost a quarter of our supporters. So I guess thats not really an option.
So new boundaries are: social media only on my computer. Which is less convenient and keeps the mindless scrolling down. Accounts logged out, so it’s one more step between me and mindless scrolling.
Although I’d love to be done with social media completely or at least take an extended hiatus, I’m going to try and post “something” weekly. I’m not going to pressure myself into it or feel bad if I don’t have anything to say, I’m not a professional blogger with a schedule. But it will at least keep our ministry partners informed if they prefer to consume content on social media. And I’m going to be better about my e-mail list.
Are you drawing boundaries with social media? Do you think you consume to much content? How does it affect you?
