Tending to what Matters.
What social media steals and how I'm taking it back.
It’s been a few days since I decided to remove my Facebook app from my phone and set a 10 minute timer for 3 times a day to check in on computer.
What do I notice?
Well… I don’t miss it. Not at all this time. There was not awkward adjustment of not reaching for my phone. If anything it was like my body immediately shook something static and stagnant out of its system and somebody inside me said: “Well, onward we go!” Just like that, imagine it being said in British accent by the part of me that wants to spell gray grey and occasionally add a ‘u’ to color.
My brain feels better. I’m getting more done. I’m moving more. Instead of picking up my phone for 20 minutes and watching reels and spamming everyone on my ‘reel list’ I get up and take a walk or clean something or even write like I am doing now.
Whatever lines come out of me over this short little session will most likely not be earth shattering revelations, but maybe a few breaths of honesty will get sighed onto the page/screen whatever. I write little commentary on various things for FB all the time and I am not allowing myself to do it anymore, so where does it go? Here. Into a Google document I have titled “Writer’s Block”, into one of the books I am working on; there are couple. And out of the blue I have decided I think I would like to write a novel. I frequently write from an experiential standpoint and though this would be that, too, it would also be even more imaginal.
There are few things that have really come to my awareness as I am spending lees time on social media, Facebook, specifically. I always have been aware of it, but the time away creates space to reflect that being immersed in it does not.
The time slippage. “I just ‘lost’ how many minutes/hours scrolling?”
The heightened feeling of self-importance. How many likes (notices) did that get?
The feeling of not being important. “How many likes (notices) did that not get?
The utter distortion of reality. Posting only what upholds a specific and cultivated image. I don’t do this and neither do most of the people I know, but it is there nonetheless. Especially with all the election hype and the heavy onslaught of AI imagery and Chat GP content. It feels like a weird veneer over reality and I do not like it.
Everybody promoting everything all the time 24/7. I get it. We use these platforms as a means of getting our wares and services out there. I’m not judging anyone for doing it. I do it—and I’m weary of feeling like a ‘product’. It’s less the people I know than it is the algorithm, itself. But if you step away from it for a bit you may notice how we are constantly being ‘mined’ for time, attention, and actual resources and I don’t like it.
The list could go on, but that’s enough.
What matters is how we treat each other online and off. It matters how we treat our bodies. It matters that we tend to our creativity in whatever way we are called to do so. It matters that we build bonds with people with whom we can relate. It matters that we take time to cultivate a pleasing environment and eat good food. I’m about to make a butternut squash pie. The squash lies currently on the ancient black cooking sheet like a sunburn victim cooling.
Some things I genuinely like to share and see from others on social media:
Pictures. Dogs, cats, babies, mountains, some selfies, projects, art, food, on and on, etc. These are things that I most like to share. With my 10 minute windows I find myself scrabbling to get just a few pictures up just as quickly as possible. Maybe respond to a couple of comments from people who matter and then… “Boop, boop, boop, beep, beep, beep” the timer sounds and I am cut off.
Your soul’s endeavors. Really… that is always a big ‘glow up’ for anyone who is not severely infected with jealousy or envy. Keep putting it out there because… fuck the haters! Ain’t nobody got time for that!
Snarky humor. I’m a little over the overt sexual stuff, but my sarcasm bone will forever vibrate a 100 miles a minute and I will never grow weary of a sharp wit.
That’s it. I can’t even make it to a full 5 on this one because the moment I just feel so over it all and those 3 are pretty encompassing.
Once upon a time, before I utterly exploded my dopamine receptors in various ways with a plethora of illicit substances I was a voracious reader. I am now also going to try to get back to that.
The things that matter the most are typically slowly gained, things like trust, good habits, skill sets, and maturity. They don’t happen over night and we sure as hell can’t order them from Amazon—and that’s how we know they’re important.
Lotsa love,
~Justice
Ohhh and by the way: I am offering a class on November, 1 at 2pm MT. The Witches Way. Details and registration on my website.
yes to all of this! And how great that you're going to write a novel!