Social Media
Did SOCIAL media live up to the hype? Those of us who were around pre social media tend to sometimes wax nostalgically , in a melancholy way , about pre social media. We had less stress and more time it seemed. We had to put ourselves out there to meet people like join groups or volunteer. Now it’s much simpler to “reach out” to someone. But does it actually help us deal with loneliness?
Topic: loneliness is different from solitude. Taking a warm bath, reading a good book, watching a riveting movie, playing an amazing game while being alone is solitude. We don’t need to have anybody else around us at times. We enjoy our own company.
What is loneliness? To me , loneliness requires a feeling of loss, repetition of this loss feeling, fear of the future and comparison to others whom seem happier. So how does social media contribute to this? Well, we know that social media is designed to make money through clicks and products. So it’s not a far stretch to see that everyone and everything will look their very best in order to achieve that. Even if this involves misrepresentation, lies, filtering and now AI.
What if we used an opposite action approach when we see something that makes us feel sad or envious? How about we use this as a message point telling us that we need to work on something inside to feel better? We could also feel sorry for the person having to put up the facade and hide their real selves all of the time. Telling yourself that you love yourself at this time is important.
Meditation: turn off and tune in. Take a deep breath and exhale. Place both hands on your heart. Now try and feel your chest beating. Enjoy this feeling of being alive for a minute or two. Now envision your best group of people sitting before you at a table. They are all supportive of you and they all want you to win. What do you need from them? Tell them and see what you get back.
Discussion: It’s a simple item, your cell phone. It’s carried with you everywhere even the toilet. So when a video is watched, a text is read that gives you a negation emotion, this feels very strong and intimate. It’s hard to get away from these feelings when they are attacking you through your cell phone. So, turn off the phone. Put it away , out of sight.
To meet people be in the same place at the same time. Communication is a goal. You need to show people you are safe and can be relied upon. A place like a park or gym is ideal to start with but really any place where people gather daily will do. Then move on with a coffee shop or library. Start greeting and having small talk with the employees of places you frequent. They might introduce you around to other employees and customers.
Join a group that aligns with your interests. If there aren’t any groups then create one.
