Breaking Social Media? Or Taking a Social Media Break?

[Confession: I’m mainly writing this post to help work out my own thoughts on this issue. I hope it resonates with you as well…]

Being human comes with being wired for connection and community. Part of that means we feel safer and thrive more when we know we belong, we matter, and we are validated by those around us.

In today’s world, social media is not only social currency for the feelings of connection and validation but it has also become the main venue of outreach for our businesses.

Add in our competitive nature and the pressure increases to participate in social media to get more likes and views from our peers. Even the algorithm of the platforms encourage their addictive qualities by boosting our presence (bringing the possibility of more positive feedback) the more we engage in all of their channels (posts, stories, videos, comments, etc.)

Part of the addictive quality with social media lays in how it reinforces that soothing the need for belonging and contentment has to come from an exogenous source (a source that is found farther and farther outside of ourselves). If too reliant on outside sources, we may find it harder to find belonging and contentment from endogenous sources (mainly ourselves, but also our close community).

So here I find myself, now and then, having neglected my “social media duty” realizing I haven’t posted or written in a while and I worry: Am I losing my online community? Am I not doing enough to foster and grow my business?

The truth is I don’t really know whether or not my worries are grounded in reality nor if pauses in my online activity has any negative effect.

However, when I’m in a place where I could create content such as a photo for Instagram and Facebook, I often don’t think about taking a photo for that purpose. Why? Because I’m immersed in the moment I’m experiencing! If I’m walking through the woods, climbing a tree, swimming in a river, or looking over a landscape, it takes me out of the present moment when I need to think of how this image could be used for social media. I seem to lose the feeling of being part of the experience and I objectify the image of the moment for future use.

Sometimes I enjoy taking pictures and videos. It can be fun and it is nice to share my experiences with others.

In the end, I’m asking: Is trying to keep up with an algorithm or even a cultural expectation worth losing the richness of being immersed in the present moment?

I can’t imagine it is.

So, although I will do my best to share what I can with the community on social media, part of my message is also this:

Don’t worry about maintaining a presence online if you’re out living your life and being present in the moment.

Don’t worry about how you’re perceived if you’re feeling good in your body with what you’re doing.

Being in alignment with your body and life is not always what culturally looks good but what helps you function best.

Are you breaking social media? Or taking a break from social media?

Do what helps you feel less stressed and more present.

I’ll try to appreciate what’s posted on there as a form of sharing experiences, but I’ll also try not to be tethered to some “rules of the game” at the expense of my own experience.

Until next time - See you on the inter webs.