Social Media, Intention, and Us
Social media is a large part of most of our daily lives. We connect with friends, family, peers, those we admire, and strangers alike on various platforms. Social sites have changed society in such a large way. They’ve shaped the way we think, interact, and receive information. These platforms have created numerous opportunities for individuals to make money, learn, be self-expressive, and be social in a nontraditional way. This shift has brought both positive and negative implications to the forefront. With all we’ve gained with social media, we’ve lost as well. Social media usage has become an addiction for many of us. We find ourselves checking our socials multiple times within the span of a few seconds or scrolling and tapping for hours. It’s created the capacity to have an adverse impact on us. So I’m curious, what are our intentions while using these platforms?
Navigating socials without thought has become a norm that distracts us from real life, real time. It’s extremely easy to go on social media for one reason and end up staying on social media way longer than planned due to the amount of content available. It’s really it’s own world. Scrolling has almost become an autopilot behavior. We lose track of time just from a few swipes and clicks that turn into hours of being locked in. If it sounds crazy to you, just people-watch the next time you go out. You’ll see. It has a hold on us. But knowing when to take breaks or moderate our limits is imperative. Social media is wonderful but it is not real; life is real. It’s important we are mindful of the energy we put into our real lives and that which we put into socials.
Social sites allow people to be whomever they choose (blessing and curse tbh). In this new wave of creating our own identities, we have been bombarded by comparison. We see follower counts, likes, reposts, favorites, hearts, shares, etc. This focus on numbers and gauging worth via those numbers is dangerous. It can affect our perception of what is real and what matters. We always see people post their highlights. We seldom see folks sharing their lows; not that it’s necessary but it’s a real element that is missing. In it’s absence we often see the lives of others as better than our own. Outside of our personal relationships with others, no one knows what’s truly going on in the next person’s life. But social media leads us to believe we do. We become fixed on what we lack because we’re counting the blessings of others ( or perceived blessings, because yall know folks lie on the innanets chile). It can make us feel bad about ourselves and where we our in our own journey. The grass can appear greener. But is it? While it isn’t social media’s fault we might feel this way, we still do. Noticing these feelings and thoughts are important to making changes.
Feeling down during or after using social media means a shift needs to happen. Constantly comparing and over-consuming leave us in a weird cycle. Many of us enjoy social media despite what goes on in our own minds at times. So how do we make this work? Where does the balance come in? Intention. Everyone who utilizes social media does so for a reason. We all need to find our reason(s). We may engage on these platforms to be social, make money, find inspiration, learn, etc. There are so many reasons but remembering our own allows us to move with intention. Intentional use of social media means examining the content we consume and those we follow or engage with. Is it beneficial? Does it align with the reasons we are utilizing social media? For some it may not be that deep, but if you feel this you know where I’m coming from. Intention keeps the ball in our court.
I’ve struggled with balancing my own social media consumption and being present in real life. It was like a bad habit gone extremely wrong for me. I could not get off my socials. It became addictive. I’d find myself checking my accounts multiple times in an hour, scrolling for hours, counting numbers, and of course comparing myself to others. It made me harder on myself, more judgmental of myself. Most importantly, I realized that the feelings that came with my use only amplified my own insecurities. Those feelings were the root of where I needed to start. I began taking breaks from social media to be more engaged in my real life. It’s what I needed personally and I still take these breaks. Not consuming so much information all day has lead to a clearer mind. I still engage on socials but I limit my time. I practice utilizing my platforms with intention and I still clown when I feel like it ( duality baby!) Don’t get me wrong; social media has brought me a ton of good. I’ve learned from others I may have never known without social media. I’ve been encouraged in ways I never would’ve thought I could be from using my phone. I’ve met amazing people. It is truly a beltway to information everywhere.
It’s really a matter of ‘get or get got’. Social media isn’t going anywhere. The best and worst things about social media aren’t going anywhere either. These platforms can really serve as a mirror to who you are and how you feel inside. We have to make these socials work for us, in whatever way we need them to. We have to move with intention.
Originally published at http://dayswithdash.blog on December 3, 2019.
