After trying to quit Facebook for a couple of years, I did it, cold feet December 31st. The decision came after having taken already distance and measures to distance myself from the it: I never downloaded the Facebook App on the phone nor I have ever activated the Messenger feature from the phone. “Nevertheless they persisted” people kept writing me on Messenger expecting an answer from me when I had repeatedly announced that “if you need to communicate with me, chances are you know my phone number, email or you can reach me on Instagram where I am active”.
Does people really pay attention to what you write on Facebook?
I became disenchanted, but mainly, couldn’t afford the vulgarity, lack of manners and overall bad vibes of my feed in my network. Even people that I regarded as friends seemed to click a bitch switch when they entered the realm, that’d go like “let me go to FB, I need to vent and blurt some shit out, and, please, I don’t want to hear your opinion”. It became a place to be bombarded, no conversation, monologues, no interaction, no chances to agree with disagree, a divisive, toxic environment, not social and not networking. I would turn a devil myself the moment I would visit the network. What good it does to me not having a TV, not watching the news, having blocked the president in all his social media feeds, if I have to receive the darts from Facebook?
In other words: no regrets, no need to look back.
Question is that my screen time didn’t decrease (you know that little feature on the iPhone?). Little that I know, I was unconsciously reversing all that time wasted in polluted Facebook on Instagram.
That isn’t “clearing the swamp”. So I imposed myself on a 2-hour daily time, way, way less than what it was. The following is what I found out of myself. It was like going to rehab.
First day: I can do it. Bim, bum, bam posted.
Second day: I can’t do it. I post and never have the time to reply, look at other people’s feeds, and their stories. Now that I have started posting mini videos of myself?
Third day: It’s not fair. Right??? This is me talking to myself. I have already cut down Facebook, why now limiting drastically my perfectly honed awesome Instagram network and the fabulous chat I have with them? They’ll think I am rude.
Fourth day (in the morning, trying to make sense to my self-conversation of the night before): Remember you should use the extra time to socially network, as in go out, have coffees, meet people, interact, window shop, connect with nature, all that stuff they say you should be doing more. You don’t do new years resolutions, but you have your magic word for 2019, be courageous and step out. I swear all of the above was going on in my head while that hourglass was looking at me that my time was out.
Fifth day: I don’t have friends, nobody is available when I am, my life is a failure.
Six day: I rested, like God on the seventh day. Released the 2-hour limit to 3 and a half, seems about right.
Six day - update: I bailed myself out by lifting the restriction on the weekend. Also, you have to realize that this is the month of the men shows, which is kind of ok, although many designers throw women looks down the runway, like Miuccia, but right after is Couture and then is the real deal fashion month.
LESSONS LEARNED
I need to work on my physical social network. Does it really show that I am such a non-fan of Miami by not having a social group of friends I hang out with? That is a deep Alice’s rabbit hole, I don’t have an answer nor I have the type of Sex & the City group of friends. Talking with my brother, also, we have come to the conclusion that my mom never had one group like I didn’t have one. Lone wolverines? Oh, I am glad Cecilia has her rat pack and didn’t take it from her mama, like her mama took it from hers.
I have elevated my focus on limiting my screen time, good for the soul, the eyes, the development of social skills like conversation.
I read. I had so many articles bookmarked, many ideas came out, also discovered the best place to buy Manolo Blahniks thanks to Leandra Medine of the MAN REPELLER.
I went out. found out there’s a people watching and window shopping vibe around my neighborhood and I don’t miss anything if I choose to go instead to my pool overlooking the bay and peek at the sun setting on the backdrop of the Miami Beach buildings. It could be worse.
Got to speculate about decisions. When you choose to modify your direction, change gear, chances are you are steering away from your comfort zone. It’ll be uncomfortable, it will not be perfect, but you gotta try and give it your best shot. Be courageous.
I had time to splurge on. I have exhausted the most appealing Netflix binge-worthy series. There’s always Amazon Prime.
I opened a shop on Depop: why didn’t anyone tell me before?