Great points. I never really got too into social media (fortunately) but sometimes I find myself killing time there. Yesterday instead of mindlessly scrolling, my husband and I spent our Sunday just hanging out and conversating. A way better way to spend the day for sure! Thanks for the reminder, and I appreciate your take on attention is currency. I will remember that forever!!
Oh the irony. Trying to divest myself of social media and I subscribed to Substack🙄. I’m learning to not mindlessly scroll. Time to go out and do stuff! Great article. Or is it post? I’m a bit of a dinosaur.
The moment I stare at a blank screen with a blinking cursor, I feel great resistance. That's why it's a double-edged sword (or similar to what you say about social media). The world needs to hear what I have to say. There is so much that I know can and will inspire others.
The more I think about it, the more I feel like I'm fighting an internal current as I weave all of my thoughts together. It's amazing how uniquely unique we are all.
Regardless of who you are, your story is unique. It's up to you to tell it. Thank you Kyle and thank YOU for allowing me to be a part of this community. I'm grateful to have cross paths (which was originally through Twitter).
I’ve deleted all my socials for other reasons but nevertheless I’m so much more productive AND if anyone’s thinking about it, you’ll be surprised how much you won’t miss it. I’ve been able to renew my love for my personal hobbies 😀
I've been struggling with all of the above and have actively been doing my best to extricate myself from the deadly scroll. Social media is not going away, but it's up to me how I engage with it. #xodvs2024
As a parent of tweens, I worry about where their attention goes. The best solution I can think of is to be ruthless in technology limits, but still allow some access as this is, sadly, often where kids congregate.
Otherwise, go do something that makes a mess. Cook a meal, craft something, go outside and get dirty doing...something, anything. As a parent this is hard. Messes take time, but they also build interests and self reliance the antidotes to the social herd. As a parent, I'd rather clean up the literal mess now than the figurate mess down the road.
How coincidental that this essay should appear to me at this moment.
After too much time, I finally decided a couple months ago to take another step back from social media. It was less of a New Year resolution and more of an emotional necessity, but the timing was early January so call it what you will. The main reason was to escape the onslaught of war, corruption, political hatred and misinformational poison being unleashed. I’ve stepped away before when it was just crushing me spiritually and found that it was time to do it again.
As a result of turning away from the never ending examples of Man’s inhumanity to Man and Nature, I was able to refocus not just on the obvious things like my incredible hubby & my work, but on things I kept dragging my feet on, like my continuing ed courses (I’m a medical researcher) and even my “side hustle”. I guess it’s no surprise to anyone that I immediately started seeing an increase in my productivity and even my profits.
I also found myself with more time for my friends, my hobbies and my sweet pets…two 10-yr-old cats named Lily and Ursula.
Social media can be an addiction. Fortunately for me, I’ve always been able to just walk away from those dangerously addictive but oh-so seductive temptations. As much as I indulged, I have always been able to just finally say “This is dumb”, shrug my shoulders, and simply stop without looking back.
But what is much harder is when you must continue using something addictive because you actually need it in your life. Like dieting, for instance. You can’t just walk away from all food. You need to eat. Choosing the right food when it’s right next to the bad food is the challenge.
In my case, I can’t completely walk away from my devices because my lucrative side hustle involves selling online. My research and studies and continuing education are all largely done online. Even communicating with friends is done online.
And it’s all done on the same devices that offer the lure of Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and the rest of the bottomless rabbit hole.
I’m trying really hard to give my attention to worthier endeavors, but it’s surprising how much willpower is needed to pick up my phone and open the Microsoft 365 app when the nonograms and Wordle apps are singing their siren song of distraction! 😄
Loved this piece. I’ve actually removed myself from social media for a lot of these exact reasons. Sometimes it sucks. But ultimately I’m investing in myself.
Great points. I never really got too into social media (fortunately) but sometimes I find myself killing time there. Yesterday instead of mindlessly scrolling, my husband and I spent our Sunday just hanging out and conversating. A way better way to spend the day for sure! Thanks for the reminder, and I appreciate your take on attention is currency. I will remember that forever!!
Oh the irony. Trying to divest myself of social media and I subscribed to Substack🙄. I’m learning to not mindlessly scroll. Time to go out and do stuff! Great article. Or is it post? I’m a bit of a dinosaur.
Great article!
This is a great way to start the week.
The moment I stare at a blank screen with a blinking cursor, I feel great resistance. That's why it's a double-edged sword (or similar to what you say about social media). The world needs to hear what I have to say. There is so much that I know can and will inspire others.
The more I think about it, the more I feel like I'm fighting an internal current as I weave all of my thoughts together. It's amazing how uniquely unique we are all.
Regardless of who you are, your story is unique. It's up to you to tell it. Thank you Kyle and thank YOU for allowing me to be a part of this community. I'm grateful to have cross paths (which was originally through Twitter).
- the Hawt Tomboy
I’ve deleted all my socials for other reasons but nevertheless I’m so much more productive AND if anyone’s thinking about it, you’ll be surprised how much you won’t miss it. I’ve been able to renew my love for my personal hobbies 😀
I've been struggling with all of the above and have actively been doing my best to extricate myself from the deadly scroll. Social media is not going away, but it's up to me how I engage with it. #xodvs2024
Creation > Consumption
Living > Passive Viewing
Making > Buying
As a parent of tweens, I worry about where their attention goes. The best solution I can think of is to be ruthless in technology limits, but still allow some access as this is, sadly, often where kids congregate.
Otherwise, go do something that makes a mess. Cook a meal, craft something, go outside and get dirty doing...something, anything. As a parent this is hard. Messes take time, but they also build interests and self reliance the antidotes to the social herd. As a parent, I'd rather clean up the literal mess now than the figurate mess down the road.
Thanks 😊
Thanks for this- I needed it today.
How coincidental that this essay should appear to me at this moment.
After too much time, I finally decided a couple months ago to take another step back from social media. It was less of a New Year resolution and more of an emotional necessity, but the timing was early January so call it what you will. The main reason was to escape the onslaught of war, corruption, political hatred and misinformational poison being unleashed. I’ve stepped away before when it was just crushing me spiritually and found that it was time to do it again.
As a result of turning away from the never ending examples of Man’s inhumanity to Man and Nature, I was able to refocus not just on the obvious things like my incredible hubby & my work, but on things I kept dragging my feet on, like my continuing ed courses (I’m a medical researcher) and even my “side hustle”. I guess it’s no surprise to anyone that I immediately started seeing an increase in my productivity and even my profits.
I also found myself with more time for my friends, my hobbies and my sweet pets…two 10-yr-old cats named Lily and Ursula.
Social media can be an addiction. Fortunately for me, I’ve always been able to just walk away from those dangerously addictive but oh-so seductive temptations. As much as I indulged, I have always been able to just finally say “This is dumb”, shrug my shoulders, and simply stop without looking back.
But what is much harder is when you must continue using something addictive because you actually need it in your life. Like dieting, for instance. You can’t just walk away from all food. You need to eat. Choosing the right food when it’s right next to the bad food is the challenge.
In my case, I can’t completely walk away from my devices because my lucrative side hustle involves selling online. My research and studies and continuing education are all largely done online. Even communicating with friends is done online.
And it’s all done on the same devices that offer the lure of Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and the rest of the bottomless rabbit hole.
I’m trying really hard to give my attention to worthier endeavors, but it’s surprising how much willpower is needed to pick up my phone and open the Microsoft 365 app when the nonograms and Wordle apps are singing their siren song of distraction! 😄
Loved this piece. I’ve actually removed myself from social media for a lot of these exact reasons. Sometimes it sucks. But ultimately I’m investing in myself.