Social Media – My Midlife Moments

Is it time to delete Facebook?

February 4, 2022February 4, 2022KristineMacMillan_

Seems odd right? You may have clicked a link on Facebook to read this article and it is likely I shared it there. The reality is Facebook (fb) has become a powerful tool. A large number of people site fb as their main source of news and during times of growing mistrust of mainstream media, it has become a tool to get real-time information delivered to your hand held device almost instantaneously. Facebook and social media in general has the power to bring people together and the power to tear them apart, as we have seen most recently in the ongoing Covid Mandate Debate.

So why do I suggest deleting facebook? This is a question I’ve contemplated many times over. I have done tech detoxes, deleted the app from my phone and enabled time restrictions to prevent overuse –and yet, I still feel the overwhelming hold this app has on me. Each time I contemplate deletion, I compile a running list of pros and cons. The list usually goes something like this:

Comparison and why we need to let it go.

November 5, 2020November 10, 2020KristineMacMillan_

Intro

During the last several months I have found myself focussing on a number of different topics. Usually these topics involve pieces of me that no longer serve me in a positive way; parts of me I am working through and want to let go. I had initially wanted to call this blog ‘Letting Shit Go’ to encompass my self growth since turning 30. It seems all I am doing is unpacking all the items that have been jammed into my hypothetical suitcase and Marie Kondo’ing the shit outta it. “Does this particular belief bring me joy?” I hold it close for a moment and if it gives me the icky feelings it’s time to toss that shit out. There is no recycling or thrift storing… I am trying my hardest not to put it out on the rug so my kids can pick it up and toss it in their suitcases… I am trying to let some shit go.

Comparison has been one of those things I’ve been holding closely. I’ve been trying to figure out my relationship with. Does it serve me in a positive way?
My answer is…. no. And I invite you to take in this topic and see where you land.

I have come to the conclusion that there are 3 major forms of comparison in our lives. Comparing to those who appear ‘better than’ us; comparing to those who appear ‘less then’ us; and finally comparing ourselves to our past or future self. Please note that I use the words ‘appear’, because when we get caught up in comparison we make up an artificial story about who we are comparing to. What we see is never the full story. Chances are that many people you hold in the ‘better then me’ category, may hold you in the same category for different reasons.

I have also come to believe all forms of comparison lead to a similar result- a feeling of inadequacy; a feeling of unworthiness; a feeling of ‘never enough’.

My Social Media Detox – Key Insights

September 18, 2020September 19, 2020KristineMacMillan_

Do you remember when Facebook became a ‘thing’? Unlike kids today, social media was not introduced until I was a young adult. I had just graduated and a highschool buddy traveling over seas msn’d me and asked if I’d heard of Facebook? I signed up and it became a way to stay connected to old friends, family who lived across the country and a way to share my own experiences. Since then the use of Social media has exploded. Facebook is estimated to have 1.69 BILLION users by the end of 2020 and Instagram has been holding steady at around 1 billion users to date. That is a lot of people.