Stepping back from Social

After 10 years working with it for other organisations, as well as my personal and professional use; I'm finally stepping back. I'm no longer working for others, and in my own world, things have streamlined. Twitter has gone, though I think that perhaps the account I set up in the name of my cats, for training purposes to use as an example, that may still be floating about in the ether.

Instagram is now private, not quite gone as planned, after being begged by my daughter to keep it - she likes looking through the pictures if she's needing some memory lane time.

Facebook's use has much reduced, and I'll see what it evolves into. It's still a great place to share information. I heard recently about the last blog which was a guest blog, being shared to someone a friend had met on holiday. Without that it appearing on facebook may never have seen it and their friend not resonated with it and felt less alone. So perhaps there's a time and a place.

The Ceilidh at Christmas that I run, it's a great place to share info and tickets for that.

And events/info aside I do love it. I really love the connectivity, the keeping up with people, the seeing pictures from foreign lands that I've not yet been and may never get to.

 
There is, of course, a certain irony in sharing this blog on platforms too of course. But having taken (small but significant) steps away, and it's whilst still early days, I can feel more space. There's more space for creativity, for crafting, for reading, for pondering. I don't stop a lot, it's not (yet) part of my way of being, though I am working on it, but there's more space to slow without a need to keep in the thick of things, stay constantly connected.

It intrigues me that there's an attempt to drag you back on there. 'Discover more. The more accounts you follow the more great things you'll see in your feed.' The more things you might miss in the real world. Put the phone down and spend a few minutes stroking a pet. Massaging yourself. Looking at the sky. No. See great things in your feed. Look down (at your phone). Don't look up.

A day off Facebook and the organisation (of course I know it's automated, not personal but someone somewhere decided the concept was a great idea) feel the need to tell me that a friend added a new photo. Tempting to go and look, and go look I did. A day passed without seeing it, I'd probably have survived, though they were great photos.

Of course this all taps nicely into the Fear of Missing Out (coined FOMO) for many. I'm pondering the opposite - JOMO - the Joy of Missing Out - and what mysteries may unfold there.

It's not just within homeopathy that 'Less is more' is a key concept. Shakespeare quoted it:

And of course the minimalist movement runs on it. Maybe it doesn't need to go altogether, but I am certainly feeling that less may indeed be more.

I've played out with a no swearing challenge in February - I've called it No F***s February, though each time I've shared the title in full it has cost me £1. A collection at £1 a swear, I'm at £30 after 20 days... I've told my daughter and partner that they can decide which organisation/charity/fundraiser to send it to at the end of the month. I'd like them to send it to my friend's fundraiser for her friend (here if you're interested). It's a challenge I'm enjoying, much as I do indeed love the f word.

March I plan for Media Free March. So no Facebook, though I'll still use Messenger as a messenging tool. A month of discovery and I'm looking forward to that too.

Love to know your experiences and thoughts (please comment on the blog not on fb if I share it on there though!)

Go well, be happy,

Em :)