I have been a Facebook junkie for as long as I can remember, but, there was a phase in my life when I just got too tired of not giving two hoots about what the Tom-s, Dick-s and Harry-s in the world were doing! I mean it wasn’t that the world would crash if I didn’t type a few praises under 50 massively photoshopped selfies (that were all similar- more or less) of duck-faced girls!
Image source: sodahead
Social media kind of s**ks and we don’t realize it as long as we are a part of the game. However, when I took a look from the tinted glass as to how terrible the world of social media could be, I realized I needed a break and not a pitiful one/two hour break- but a REAL, long break at that!
Suggested read: 12 ways social media ruins relationships
Here are the lessons I learned from my much-needed break as I transformed from a Facebook junkie to the nature lover, I knew I had inside of me but never had the time for:
- Wi-Fi is for connecting people, but hearts are meant to actually help you keep the connection going. And not the fake beating ones that Facebook has introduced, but the real pumping ones inside your chest. Sometimes, you gotta listen to the mad guy and you will be surprised how much you enjoy the off-screen-time madness!
- I realized that I had a lot of *me* time which I actually enjoyed. It wasn’t as if I was lonely, but time off the ‘social connections’ gave me time to heal my wounds as I figured out my inner potential and released the negative emotions that’d treble when I’d be clicking at pictures or updates from people I had no time or patience for- simply, curiosity! It’s true, what they say about curiosity killing the cat- some part of me was getting infested and time off allowed me to be free and emerge healed!
Image source: socialmediaimpact
- The world is a beautiful place and often we fail to see the depth of its profound beauty. With no more time wasted on social media, I started appreciating Nature in all it’s glory, whether it was simply outside my window or at a weekend getaway spot I hadn’t earlier found the time or inclination to visit!
- Gossip, as fun as it admittedly is, tends to boring when not given its due breathers. Unlike what most people believe, I realized there was little fun in gossiping around because at the end of the day, you too become laughing stock behind your back.
Image source: Google, copyright-free image under Creative Commons License
- Instead of expressing false empathy via clicks or showering adulation via words typed on the keyboard, I found time to really connect with people I knew- understand their woes and learn what made them happy! Of course, I was happy caring about my own troubles and sorting them too- to live a better life!
- I realized that life was a lot calmer and happier sans the clashes I so often had on social media.
- I realized I didn’t had to run into people with conflicting opinion on petty matters and it helped me be a lot more sure about myself.
- With no more cases of cyber bullying, I began to become much more confident and shed my body issues image as I started falling in love with who I am.
- I loved that I didn’t had to publicly proclaim my relationship or shower my affectionate display for my acquaintances because those who knew me knew that love didn’t need to be loud, it just needed to be sincere.
Image source: Shutterstock
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- I realized who my real friends were as they didn’t need a Facebook notification to remember my birthday or some silly update written in a mad moment to call and ask how I was doing!
- I found that there were a few people I didn’t mind doing away with in life. Our life is real unlike social media which has great potential to be unreal. I found the ones who matter.
- I did miss a few peeps that were close to me emotionally, but far away and I wanted to sneak into their pictures. So, maybe not everything is bad about social media, but then, I could always pitch in a few long distance calls. And it helped relive the precious connection much better than Facebook ever allowed!
- I found myself figuring out some real hobbies like gardening and using it to improve my extremely shortened list of hobbies!
Image source: Google, copyright-free image under Creative Commons License
- The clashes in the bedroom and the fights with the children were slashed considerably because we were no longer creating public scenes.
- Most of all, I was really happy that I had no candy crush requests or those spooky ‘what were you in your last birth’ games to entertain- ha!
Life was a bliss and thankfully so. Yes, I would eventually make a return to social media, but this time, I swear to do it sans the drama. At least, try!
Featured Image Source: sodahead
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