Social Media Anonymous

 

On the 1st of January, 2016, I am deactivating my Facebook account.

Why? Because I believe social media is irrelevant. I believe that I can live a better life without the influence of Facebook.  And so, I’m going to test that theory.

For how long? At least a year.

I will admit that FB has good qualities, for instance the Events and the Groups. FB can be a wonderful place for social gathering and connecting, as well as advertising and being a place with plenty of inspiration/positivity.

I’m deactivating it because I believe that I can have all of those qualities without the use of Social Media. The internet is a vast and wondrous place, where I can find anything. I’d rather make/keep my connections physically in person as well as phone/email.

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Social media can be highly addictive, just like cocaine, caffeine or sex. It triggers those ‘happy’ or ‘satisfied’ chemicals within our brain to fire off into multiple directions when we hear the ‘bing‘ of a new notification or message. Sound familiar? *cough* Pavlovian Conditioning *cough* You just have to check it! Instead of people living to fill their own book of experiences, they live to ‘share’ them with the internet world.

I only own a Facebook account, nothing else. It doesn’t simply end there though… Thousands are addicted to other social media websites like Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, Reddit, Tumblr, etc. Earlier this year I got into the habit of not using social media at all, and I was just using it for my business, but unfortunately, i fell back into the habit of my previous addiction. It can be one of the most difficult habits to break. Where’s the Social Media Anonymous group??
According to a survey study through Pew Reasearch Center, Young adults (ages 18 to 29) are the most likely to use social media – fully 90% do.
It can be discouraging at times, and a distraction to the outside world…
Many people waste time just scrolling through Facebook for no apparent reason, checking up on the lives of people that they don’t really care about. We could be doing many other things with our valuable time! It can suck the life right out of you through a bendy straw in the form of a meme.

We live in a time where most 13 year olds have an iPhone and at least two social media accounts. They spend their youth posting selfies, and  watching countless amounts of nonsensicle memes and videos. What happened to playing with Barbies and Legos?  What happened to mud pies and homemade igloos? Swing sets and board games? According to a new study from Pew Research Center. “Aided by the convenience and constant access provided by mobile devices, especially smartphones, 92% of teens report going online daily — including 24% who say they go online ‘almost constantly’, More than half (56%) of teens — defined in this report as those ages 13 to 17 — go online several times a day, and 12% report once-a-day use. Just 6% of teens report going online weekly, and 2% go online less often.”

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And what about the adults? Numerous times I have witnessed a couple out to dinner, staring at their phones rather than each other’s eyes.
How many individuals have you seen video recording a concert rather than fully experiencing it – living in the moment? Too many.
How many times have you heard someone say ‘Wait, do that again so we can post it on FB!’ or ‘Take a photo and tag me in it!’ Way too many…

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I believe most people have forgotten what it means to live in the moment, for the moment. 

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Of course, we all know, there was a time where people lived without the internet. How much do you want to bet that their lives were more simple and genuine? They had no choice but to live in the moment, to truly connect with the people and the world around them… for the sole reason of experiencing for themselves the beautiful gift of life. For some people, living this way may seem boring, or redundant because of recent technology… but in my opinion, there is a beauty to that life that most will never experience, because of social media. I’m out to test that theory.

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If you are reading this as one of my ‘FB’ friends, feel free to follow this blog. I write on here about my views & opinions, my poetry, and over all what I am learning in life.  I haven’t shared this blog with the public yet.. so here goes nothing! Just because I’m deactivating FB, doesn’t mean I’m going to stop writing.

I live to write. It’s my best form of expression.

Blessings to you, Happy Holidays!

 

Be patient with yours visions.

My life is beginning to come together.
I have a vision that’s almost clear.
I keep heading in the right direction, I can tell;
the signs keep pointing me there.

The well rounded person I am becoming
is developing through my experiences.
Determination, dedication, and the rewiring of my internal hard drive;       consisting of patterns, is whats disciplining me.
My dreams, goals, and ambitions are what fuel me.
Awareness, passion, and results are what keep moving me forward.

By understanding my desires, my weaknesses, my behavioral responses, and my conditioned learning; I am learning how to navigate my vessel, and how to train myself to be the person I am called to be.
By understanding my passions, my interests, my morals, my beliefs, and my energy;
I am allowing myself the freedom to soar.

Patience and persistence, the two P’s of passion, are painted precisely, protecting peace pleasurably, preparing for prosperity properly.

 

 

Dream to Travel. Prepare to Live.

It’s my dream to travel. To see the world, and various cultures. To witness in the raw form, roots that people call their own. I envision myself visiting beautifully organic places that one must sweat to have the reward of experiencing. I want to taste foods that are so much more unique than what my pallet is accustomed, that my taste buds soar away into blissful flavors of the unknown, only to be rediscovered within my memories.
My mind races at the thought of beholding the blessing of being able to pick the brains of so many different personalities in far away lands…. and my heart leaps forward with no bags in hand towards the feeling of connecting with so many yet to be known beautiful souls of this earth.

The world is calling, and so I must go.

‘One step at a time’, I continue to soothe my wanderlust heart. I dream every night of all the opportunities. What I could do, what I could learn, what I could see, who I could meet. There’s endless possibilities.
Some say it’s easy. Just pack your bags and go.
But I’ve done that already…and it didn’t resonate with me like it does to the many i’ve met. After my previous travels I decided that the next time I up and go,  I’m going to do it right. The way that sits right with me… and that is through being able to support myself 100%.

First, I need some reasons. It may seem so effortless and adventurous to travel and just see the world, not really think too much about it and just go do it. That’s enough of a reason, right?! But what I’ve learned is that it actually makes it a lot easier if you have goals in mind first. Places you want to see and visit, and a mission at hand, a reason for why you are there. Perhaps that’s to experience and write, take photographs, research a specific topic, or to volunteer yourself to a greater cause, or all of the above.. there needs to be a reason. Or you will find yourself lost.

Second, I need some money. Yes, living minimally is the plan. Pack light and smart. It’s better to not spend money, yet have money in the bank just in case, than to have absolutely nothing at all. Shit happens. (let us take a moment to remember Forrest Gump) And you must be prepared. A safety cushion simply eases the mind of any worries, and allows one to travel complication free. It doesn’t mean you have to spend that money along the way, but it’s there incase you need it. Another thing to ponder upon, are ways to make money while you’re out on the road. Making money along the way is very vital to surviving; unless you choose to beg for chump change.. It’s your choice, but for me, one sits comfy in my heart, and the other does not.

Proper planning and preparation is important. 

One baby step at a time. With ideas and goals in mind, and motivation to achieve, everything will fall exactly into place as it should.