I decided a few days ago that I needed to take a break from social media. Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat...the works. It was getting to the point that I couldn't go 20 minutes without checking one, or all. I was completely dependent on it, and I was reaching the level of "scary creepy stalker" that I never wanted to be. You know those people...we've ALL been those people. *shudder*
Part of it, I suppose, is that I miss people that are far away...and this is the way I keep up with their daily lives. But once again, it was reaching an unhealthy level, and I was beginning to obsess over things that I
A) couldn't control,
B) Wasn't a part of, &
C) Didn't matter.
So I took the plunge...I logged out of everything, and therefore my phone has been eerily silent. Sure, I'm still texting people on a regular basis...but all of my apps are unused and I haven't received a single notification from anything in almost 7 days. CRAZY.
Don't get me wrong: I'm going to go back. I do want to stay connected and keep in touch with people, and that's just the way our culture is now. It's ok.
But having this break...it's been really educational.
I've realized how much of my life I feel this insatiable need to plaster all over every form of social media.
Why do I take a selfie?
So people will see it and think I'm attractive.
Why do I tweet 35 times a day?
So people will read them and think my life is interesting.
Why do I write facebook statuses?
Because I want people to pay attention to me. To like me. To favorite my words. To stalk my life.
Because at the root of it...I want to feel needed. To feel loved. That people care about me.
Why do I need all of those things to make that happen?
The lesson I've learned this week is that I don't.
In the past few days, I've been more encouraged by friends than I have in past weeks through any social media. People have texted me, called me, prayed for me, made me laugh...and all without any of those things that I thought I couldn't live without.
And another cool thing? Not obsessing over the latest facebook post or stalking someone's twitter feed has opened up the line of communication between myself and God. A lot more.
Over the past week, I found myself having a dialogue with God throughout the day...not these long, elaborate, flawlessly worded prayers...just everyday conversation with the Lover of my soul. It was pretty great, actually. And I discovered that it was a lot easier to hear Him when I wasn't continually focused on what others are thinking about me.
So, I've learned a lot from this exercise. It won't be forever...but at least I know that:
I can definitely live without it,
I have friends...REAL friends who care beyond a "like" or "favorite" of my two-dimensional life,
and a God who longs to speak to me in ways that are far better than a facebook chat.
Social media and I are no longer in a committed relationship.
We're just friends.
And I find I like it that way.
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