Social Media and Happiness

We live in a world of social media.
In a world where we would rather shoot a text out, than call, even sitting outside to say 'here'.
In a world where our President tweets.

I don't know if I would call it a 'simpler' time when home phones still had a cord, and children knew to be in, when the street lights came on. Or, nowadays, where you can text to say 'come home' and our phones go mobile with us.

So excuse me while I rattle off my thoughts to you & post to my social media... about social media. {Ironic}

We live in a time where you can 'unfollow' yet still keep someone as a 'friend'. So you don't hurt anyone's feelings. Where, when someone likes a post on your social media platform it gives you a dose of dopamine. What? True.
Yes. You smile, and then you check back often to see if others have liked your post. This can get dangerous. Because the likes on social media and happiness have nothing to do with one another.

"Likes on social media and happiness have nothing to do with one another"

But we live like it does.
I was just as guilty. Seriously. I had to take a step back. I didn't deactivate social media because I'm connected with so many avenues through social media, and social media IS this generation. But I have to check myself often, when I was literally wasting hours scrolling... so this was something I put rules in place for myself. Laugh, but what are you doing right now? You were on facebook because that's how you saw my blog!

So...

I've been thinking the past couple weeks, how upset my friends have been (I know this because of their posts.. not because they called me to tell me).
But there's always been negativity. So why let it get to you now? Because it's on your news feed of Facebook?

I see it like this....

We're protected by a screen. Whether it's your phone, or your laptop or... *gasp* or a desk top PC.

In person, if your co-worker/friend/sibling/spouse doesn't have the same opinion you do, they share their opinion, you share yours... and you have a conversation. You hear each other. You for sure aren't saying some of the things I've been reading on facebook, that is a fact!
Let's not forget what a beautiful thing this whole, getting to have an opinion is!

Now take that conversation to Facebook. (i.e the 'protection of a screen')

You read someones post. You disagree. You write a comment of your opinion. And you go back and forth, and by now there are other people who've commented, and maybe people you don't even know. And now, it's making you angry.
Why? 
This is so different because you are "protected" by the screen.
You can't read their tone.
You can't understand that just like you, they too have an opinion.

"Many people don't seem to know this... but you can read something on the Internet and disagree, and move on with your life without saying/typing a word".

Shocking. I know.

If you have a friend that is constantly negative, you can select the 'unfollow' option. However, I beg the question if they are always so negative, why are they one of your friends? And then, maybe ask yourself, "do we hang out?" "Do I even have their phone number?" Maybe you need the 'remove friend' option...Because sometimes you have to unfollow people in real life too.

Defeating this negativity is simple, when you choose to start each day not checking the news feed. Whether that's Facebook, Twitter, IG, or the actual local/world news station. Just don't.
I'm not telling you to be oblivious. I'm just saying, choose another way. Choose, real life happiness.



xo-
Misty