Colors and experiences come together over time, no truth is in the now, it shows up in the experience over time. (This is often realized through a social media detox reflection.)
~Kerri-Elizabeth~
Thoughts
I have some thoughts I’d love some input on. This won’t be my normal poem post. Instead, I’d like to share something that’s been on my heart and mind.
I recently took all of my apps for SM (I just had two) off my phone. I am seriously contemplating closing both and forever being done with it. This was a step towards my own social media detox reflection.
I’m not sure if our blogs are considered SM but they sure feel more personal. They are connected to our real life experiences and emotions. Sharing and conversing with you all has been enlightening. It’s more of the reality of life experiences rather than the fluff, it resonates.
If you resonate this may also:
I just have a feeling. There so many beautiful connections I’ve created over the years, great friends all over the world. Its a mission to reach out to many and actually talk personally. Thus, I had a sense of who the person was I was following and being influenced by. Influence is now influencer. What’s real now is harder to see and feel. This reflection solidified my plans for a social media detox.
Connections
I didn’t want to have just digital connections. Instead, I wanted to take the time to see why they chose me or share why I chose them to follow. I made it a mission and made so many great connections. It was not just to do business with, with no agenda except to connect authentically. This thoughtful reflection encouraged my social media detox.
Over the years it seems less and less possible to make those connections authentically. (I have wonderful friends I’ve made, both in business and personally over the years.) Nothing wrong with the business or personal ideas model, except it doesn’t resonate with me right now anyways.
There is a manipulation to it all now that has taken away the fun of it.
Maybe this is a fleeting feeling. So I am just taking some space away to see what that prompts for me. Part of my social media detox reflection involves understanding these feelings.
If this speaks to you, this may as well:
Whirlwind
I notice if I post then I’m in a trap, a whirlwind of seeing things I can’t un-see. The list of things I think I need, places I want to travel, and painting ideas I can dive into. An hour passes or more. My bum is numb from sitting too long and I lift my head. Reality conflicts with the entire scene in my dream world I didn’t even realize I was in.
I then have a list of things I want to buy. Our home in my mind has been remodeled and completely redone with all the DIY ideas. I have gardens that look like a fairytale land and I have a new wardrobe. It fits snuggly and beautifully in our new walk-in closet, all organized. In my mind of course, NOT my reality. I guess it really does happen though; that’s what SM says anyways.
I have an awesome life, blessed with love and happiness and challenges. Challenges that would curl your hair. Who doesn’t? I just don’t want to see the fluff right now. It makes the real challenges seem like there is a quick fix if you just follow THEIR recipe to success.
It’s exhausting!!
Some words to inspire:
Purpose or Confusion
I’ve heard so many coaches and counselors’ videos online. They give advice on how life would be better if I did it their way. Honestly, I have many times. I have a coach and I wouldn’t be where I am without her expertise. This is not to discount the importance of help and guidance.
I am authentically being led to a social media detox reflection. When you know, it doesn’t quit pushing you until you observe and listen, do you ever feel that?
After a few minutes scrolling, my mind is reeling on every emotion life has blessed me with. BUT, none seem correct. Sheesh 🙄 I started feeling pulled so far out of reality. I started missing what’s really happening and appreciating what IS my absolute AMAZING reality.
Limits
I actually put limits on my phone. 1 hour collectively a day is all I’d allow to be on my screen. Some days I never came close. On others, an hour was like two seconds.
That was an amazing experiment. Even down to how many times I went to grab my phone consciously instead of unconsciously. As part of reflecting on my need for a social media detox, I started observing these behaviors more.
Then I wondered why I was sharing anything about my life. Did it really matter or change anyone’s life for the better? Did it connect me to anything worth spending the time on it? Even business, of course it works for many, it’s not that I don’t agree with all that. I just asked myself, is this the way for me at this point?
A Decision
So I decided at least for now it’s NOT. A social media detox reflection has allowed me to come to this realization.
What are your experiences and thoughts about your space in the SM world?
Here are a few ideas that have been helpful along my path:
https://insighttimer.com and as Judy says so beautifully, music saved her and in turn it helps save me.
SONSHINE FOR YOU 
Your post is so powerful, Kerri! I honor your awareness to make this change and I love how you are sharing your heart!
For me personally, I have connected with amazing people through social media, where I foster the real connection. I wouldn’t be drawing mazes again if it weren’t for reconnecting with an old junior high, classmate.
But my motto is “take the best and leave the rest.” I do want to use social media less, because it’s a huge time sucker. So thank you for inspiring me to make changes!
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Thank you my friend , you inspire me all the time and I’m so grateful for you . I didn’t know who was answering me, it says anonymous, then when I clicked back I saw you and I smiled so big 😀 . Thank you for sharing your thoughts I so appreciate you in so many arena in my life, you are a beautiful blessing to me.
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We’re all guided divinely, thank goodness. Social media is a symbol I can give to Spirit remembering that only good can come of it. Then it becomes obvious to each one of us what to think, do, and say. 💚
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Thank you for your beautiful insight.
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I agree, I don’t think social media always generates true connections. (Although blogging is different, as I do feel I’ve gotten to know some people quite well through blogging, because we’re honest about ourselves and our lives on our blogs and in our comments to each other.) Social media encourages us to be phony, to vent against both people we know and people we don’t, and to react to memes that may or may not be accurate. It is manipulation, and it’s not good for us! I only participate on Facebook, and I limit my time on it severely. Excellent post!
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Thank you so much for your support and response. I do have connections there that I love and I understand often that’s the way some communicate, I’m afraid most of them are getting lost now behind the raging river of speed and sales content, but as you said blogging is so different, it’s the difference to me of communication vs. commercials.
Thank you so much 😊 for sharing.
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I truly love and care about many of my blogger friends and enjoy meeting more, such as you. Some of us talk nearly every day, so I feel connected. I will be taking about six weeks off from posting because of my schedule. I come and go but do love every minute on.
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Oh I’m so happy to meet you too and connect here. Have a wonderful time away and I hope to connect again you when you return.
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Great post, Kerri. You said so many things that resonate with me.
I got into SM bc my kids discovered it and then came the natural evolution as I found old friends, groups, etc. But I have become very disenchanted, it’s all such a facade and a time suck. Between SM and all the apps/games on my phone, hours go by like minutes. Life…REAL life…is going by and I’m missing it.
Conversely, WP is wonderful. It’s a caring, genuine community of very talented people. Unlike SM, people are not afraid to reveal their vulnerabilities bc they know they will find kindness. I enjoy writing just for the sake of writing…”Ars Gratia Artis” as MGM says 😉…and enjoy cheering on folks as they get published and recognized. I plan to pump the brakes on SM and spend more time on things that matter 😎
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Thank you so much Darryl for sharing that, oh yes SM started the same for me Iong ago, wow has it changed.
I do love this community as well and the real raw vulnerability and kindness everyone pours into each other. It’s a beautiful space , keep writing and I’ll keep writing and let’s keep reading and supporting one another.
Cheers to less/None at this time on SM. I have gone off and on it over the years, I even turned it off for a year , then turned it back on.. I may do that again…I’m off all the way right now and I love it!
Let me know how you feel when the breaks are pumped and what matters has more of your attention.
Have a great time in real life.
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This is such an important topic for our times, isn’t it? I am not on any social media any more. I stayed on Facebook to keep in touch with others when my husband got sick, but it’s such a toxic and manipulated space. And I am not a fan of the increasing surveillance and that so much of our personal data has become a commodity. Greed and exploitation just seems the norm now. After watching an interview with one of the original FB creators, who admitted they made it purposely addictive, I started questioning the reality of everything that is presented to us.
I realised when I got off of FB, that people really struggle with knowing how to connect with others in a genuine way…a FB friend, who I knew in real life but in another country, emailed me. She said that when I left, she panicked a little bit, wondering how on earth we could stay in contact! Then she reminded herself that we could email and she had my phone number, and she had a good chuckle at herself 🙂 But that is the profound affect SM has had on us! I think it is interesting, that people seem uncomfortable with doing things “quietly”, away from the spotlight of announcing (and manipulating) everything in a public way.
And I agree, that it is such a time thief. But having WordPress as a creative outlet when I really needed it, has been a blessing for sure! 🙂
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Gosh I’m so on board with all that.. I still have mine up but I may just turn it off .. I still haven’t decided to turn it off or just leave it and look now and then.. so far I’m enjoying the leave it and I heard that admittance of addicting people too.. noway I want part of that.
Thank you so much for sharing .
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