Social Media Sucks! There, I’ve said it! It has its positive uses, of course, but on the whole it can be a drain on your life and take up valuable time…and time is what we’re short of!
Do you sometimes feel your mind is clogged up with the problems going on in the World today?
You may not realise it, but if your mind is subjected to bad news, it will put you on a downer that will play a part in your general outlook. Subconsciously, there will be a grey cloud hanging around in the background ready to spoil the day. Sometimes, No News is Good News.
The world is an amazing place and should be celebrated for its awesomeness… but if you go looking for the downside, you will find it and it will depress you.
The media, especially the knee-jerk reporting from the press, can be sensationalised and used to stir up emotion and controversy. It’s what sells newspapers and increases viewing figures.
And although the news is important, the way it’s broadcast has a detrimental effect on our general outlook on life. The stories are mostly always attuned to the negative side.
Social Media too is a hotbed of controversy where anyone able to offer an opinion, can.
I rarely read a newspaper or watch news reports on T.V. Instead, I concentrate on my own ‘happenings’. I’m not burying my head in the sand, but I don’t want the woe of world’s news eating into my personal life on a daily basis.
But it wasn’t always that way.
Social Media Sucks!
There was a time, not so long ago, where I found myself extremely concerned with political and financial news and would go on social media to find out more. All this did was bring me down.
I would read post after post and hit the reply button offering my own opinion of whatever touched a nerve that day. It was sometimes exhausting and debilitating.
After a few weeks of this I found myself feeling weary whenever I logged in to whichever platform I chose that day, sometimes two or three.
Why was this? I rarely get angry anymore and I certainly endeavor to cut negativity from my life, so why was I feeling kinda defeated every time I finished my social media sessions?
I sat back and looked at the big picture and came to the conclusion that no matter what happens in the world today, it would be highly unlikely that I would be able to do anything about it and my opinion would just fall on deaf ears.
History tells us the world has been full of wars, crime, famine, racism, poverty and a list of events that would scare the living daylights out of you. But at the end of the day, what happens, happens. Tweeting about it won’t save the world.
I suddenly realised all of this concern was eating away at my positive attitude that I’d worked so hard to ingrain in my mindset. I would often feel angry and, dare I say it, depressed whenever I’d finished reading my social media timelines.
I thought those days of being depressed and angry were long behind me?
There will always be someone who’s opinion is the exact opposite of yours. If you said that a car was red, another person would argue that it was crimson and would fight you to the death to prove themselves right.
Does it really matter in the great scheme of things?
So I quit Social Media for a while. Not because I don’t care about events around the world, but because it was impacting on my very positive attitude to life.
Take A Break
If you let it gnaw away at you, it will affect the way you live…and it’s just not worth it.
I needed to drop this creeping negative virus that was starting to infect my positive thoughts.
Whether I was right or wrong, I needed a break. I declared that Social Media sucks!
I stopped worrying immediately. I made a promise that I wouldn’t read social media for at least one month and took a break with hubby to the seaside.
It worked wonders and I felt the lift of worry disappear within a few days.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m still aware of the troubles of the world but I don’t let them affect me anywhere near as much as they used to.
If you feel drained by the news and social media and you find it’s affecting the way you live your life, take a break from caring about the life outside of yours.
Yes, that may seem a harsh statement, but if your life is being strangled by events of the world, what use will you be to yourself and your family?
Remember, this is just a moment in time and when your mindset is in much better shape you can then, perhaps, be in a position to care more.
At this moment in time, YOU are what is important.
If you feel, as I did, drained by the world’s events and realising that social media sucks, then take a break.
Clear The Air
Look for somewhere you can get away for a few days or weeks. A place where the events of the world are put on hold. A change of scene, even for a short while, will recharge your batteries and give you a new perspective on life.
When you’re away, make it a priority to NOT listen to the news or engage in social media activity and just clear your mind to look for the things that make you feel good. Walking or hiking away from it all does wonders for the soul. A trip to the coast refreshes the mind.
If you’re addicted to social media, then follow people who are positive and drop those who only bring negative vibes to your timeline. Make it your goal to find people who make you feel good and, importantly, make you laugh.
Since returning to social media, I’ve been more active in finding ‘good news‘ and it’s so much more beneficial agreeing and liking stories that don’t send me into a rage!
Social Media should be used to make your day go with a swing, not to feed negativity.
