With Instagram's new terms coming out this month, a lot of folks are questioning whether they should stay or say farewell.
It's prompted me to evaluate why I'm on social media and what it should look like going forward. As a new mumma, my time is so fleeting now. One could say I'm behind on responding to texts, photo editing, organizing my home, and pretty much everything else—but instead I say I'm choosing to allocate my time to my little one and these precious days that are passing at the speed of light. Whatever brief moments I have for social media must be intentional, purposeful, and a worthy exchange for the attention and time I give it.
As 2021 will shortly dawn, I am moving into the new year with a renewed sense of clarity. As a quiet and highly-sensitive person, why am I online?
There are four main reasons:
- To share the goodness and grace of God by sharing portions of my life, my thoughts, creativity, stories, and vulnerability through posts, comments, emailed letters and conversation
- To inspire and be inspired by other artists, mamas, and encouraging & beautiful posts about making home, creativity, moving art (photography, dance, nourishing rituals), and entrepreneurship (especially when mingled with faith)
- For community: to connect with other sisters, artists, mamas, and more
- For entrepreneurship: to share what I have available for purchase, to make an income from home, to bring awareness of what I offer, to network and connect to others, to build the “know like trust” factor for my business, and to help others decide whether or not they want to engage with me in commerce
Really, I could narrow it all down to this: to bless and be a blessing.
I have been fairly quiet on social media over the past few years. I've never been able to keep a consistent posting schedule and will "freeze up" if it becomes an expectation. I go back and forth between public vs. private accounts, which is not conducive to growth. As a highly sensitive woman I struggle deeply with the drama that can happen online. And I get so frustrated with the censorship, along with the poor user experience of certain platforms (I do not need Instagram notifications for people I may know, voting, or getting new insurance. But I cannot turn these notifications off.) I do not care for Facebook or Twitter and am completely disenchanted with Pinterest (which I used to love most!) which is all ads and unhelpful notifications now.
Me and social media? It's complicated.
As a highly sensitive woman, staying focused on my purpose and being intentional with my presence & time helps me survive social media. Hopefully, it will also help me thrive. I'm not there to mindlessly scroll or become distracted. As I move forward, I am preparing a feast through the art and act of living. Some will be nourished here. Others will not enjoy my table, and that's ok. My voice, my thoughts and my ways are not for everyone. I am at peace with this. I don't need to attend every conversation I'm invited to, which makes space for infusing life where and as I can.
I bless all comings and goings. I give permission to both of us, if we need it, to do what sustains our living.
I know that nothing is better for them than to rejoice, and to do good in their lives, and also that every man should eat and drink and enjoy the good of all his labor—it is the gift of God. Ecc. 3:12-13
No comments