Social media. Wow is there a lot to say about this topic. When I was about younger, I thought social media was so much fun. Facebook was all the rage due to Instagram and snapchat not yet becoming popular. I remember as a little girl, I would go through Facebook and be so naive to all that the world had to offer, good and bad. I would look at my friends pictures they had posted and would use thousands of emojis and exclamation points. Once i got a bit older, I got an Instagram, Snapchat, and a Twitter. When I first started out in high school, thats when my view of social media changed completely. It went from being naive to being fully aware of things I was too young to be exposed to. It went from 1 hour a day total to 4 hours a day on social media. It went from harmless to toxic within months.
Social media can be a very useful, helpful tool for those who are keeping in contact with loved ones, trying to promote business, or simply just to see what people are up to now. Unfortunately, social media can be more toxic than helpful. I went through a phase in my life when I realized just how much my phone and social media had over my life. I would scroll through Instagram or twitter for hours, just to feel completely empty and exhausted after. I started to notice the more time I spent viewing other peoples lives through screen, the more I began to feel less confident in my opinion of myself and my own life. It was almost as if someone was draining the life out of me.
Its so easy to see our life through the wrong lens, isn’t it? We view social media as a story telling all about peoples lives, when in reality its just a highlight reel. We try so desperately to gain more friends, followers, and likes that we miss out on what life is all about. You can’t truly live in the moment if you’ve got a phone or camera in front of your face. We certainly can’t see who we truly were created to be if we are comparing ourselves to others every single day. Without our constant worry about what others think of us, we are set free from things of this world that attempt to control our identity.
Every person was created for a purpose and a reason. Not a single soul has been left untouched by God’s amazing, infinite love and design. If you are struggling with overusing social media, I would encourage you to do one of two things. First of all, you could delete social media off of your device altogether. And no, you don’t have to delete your account, just the app. That way, you will be much less tempted to to use social media. Another option, is go through your friends and followers and delete those people who bring negativity into your life. If you cannot delete social media altogether, then filling your mind with positivity will be beneficial for your mood and overall well-being.
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