Lent - SOCIAL MEDIA BREAK

 

 LENT: Lent is a solemn religious observance in the Christian calendar that begins on Ash Wednesday (Feb. 14^th ) and ends 6 weeks later before Easter Sunday (March 31^st). The purpose of Lent is the preparation of the believer for Easter through prayer, doing penance, mortifying the flesh, repentance of sings, almsgiving, and self denial. In Lent, many Christians commit to fasting, as well as giving up certain luxuries in order to replicate the sacrifice of Jesus Christ’s journey into the desert for 40 days. Many use that “extra time” to read daily devotionals, pray, and meditate in order to draw themselves closer to God.

So last year for lent I gave up social media. I was kind of sick of my timeline filled with BS that was stressing me out. I was pondering giving it up all together but decided instead of a lent break. I have to say …. I enjoyed it way more than I thought I would. Since coming back from that break this thing that was supposed to be used to be social with people I’d never know without it has become that for me again. I’ve had conversations with people, I’ve done more than just share and RT everything in sight. I’ve read more articles instead of blindly sharing them. It was a nice reminder of what these sites, FB, Twitter, Instagram etc., were created for.

It’s funny to me cause last year I did it to alleviate some anxiety in my life to step away from the negativity that had taken over my social media timeline and this year … it’s more about just stepping away. When I logged back into all the sites last April I also did a cleanse of my timeline, followers, friends and now my social media is a place I enjoy going to. This is truly a sacrifice because I use Social Media to keep up with people, like Golden, my favorite musicians, sports figures, sporting events, my family etc., so it’s going to be harder this year than last year I think. I mean the Olympics are on, my Auburn Gymnastic team is poised to have a fantastic month, I’m going to see Eric Erdman play a show Wed.,  and I won’t be able to talk about it.  

However, I’m also reminded of the lessons I learned from my Social Media break last year, how I posted, what I shared, the positive energy and negativity that I put out there on my own TL for others to deal with that kind of thing. It made me a better person both in the digital world and in real life as this break also allowed me to be fully engaged in the everyday world I was living in. Let’s  not forget that it was on that Social Media break that by happenstance I found Ed Sheeran’s music and my ears have been happier for it. I wonder who will hit my radar when I’m allowed to really see that radar this year?! I also refocused my energy on this blog during my social media break which reawakened my creative side to an extent.

So my point to you all is this …. When I turned off all my notifications last year my phone immediately went silent to the point I thought it might have died. It was not uncommon for my phone to go off several times an hour, it was a distraction and those 40 days with no notifications made me not miss it or want to check my various feeds. When I relogged into everything after the break I was very selective on whose notifications were turned back on, and whom I decide I didn't miss enough to have those constant notifications. That has made my social media life way more enjoyable and far more social. 

 

I’ll see you guys in March … until then be safe, take care of yourselves, and if you don’t mind ….do me one favor … check in on Golden every once in a while for me :D She's planning to do another 40-acts this year and frankly that's what I'll miss the most about this break, she's the most giving person I know and  the world needs more people like her. 

 

Thanks,

Marcy (@beaslma)

Let's get social!

My self imposed Social Media Ban for Lent is nearing it’s end. This time next week I’ll be back online and back at it … maybe. I have to admit I’ve enjoyed this break. This unplugging experiment has done me so much good, that’s not to say I haven’t been busy. I have found some new music, watched my nephew get inducted into the Junior National Honor Society, got to help with an Easter Egg hunt, got to help my office with a City Park clean up event, and of course went to Auburn for a weekend. That’s not to say that it hasn’t been easy not sharing some of those things, not to mention my older nephew going to the Jr/Sr Prom with his super awesome girlfriend. I mean they looked great together and not seeing the pictures he, my sister-in-law, and brother posted in real time was tough. I had to remind them to e-mail them to me so I could see them, which meant I saw them 2 or 3 days after the fact. ☹ boooo hisss! 😊 I also didn’t get to participate in the season premiere of Blackdog Salvage on DIY something that I’ve really missed. I love chatting with those guys via Twitter as I watch the show. I’m very much looking forward to tweeting with them next week. I wonder if they have wondered where I am?! Join us! 😃

However, the main thing I have missed is Golden. Between our work schedules being exact opposites, her new furbaby Mighty taking over the house, and her cell phone coverage being shit I have missed conversing with her through twitter. We’ve texted a little bit but I understand Mighty isn’t a fan of Golden’s cell phone. Don’t worry Auntie Marcy will have a chat with Mighty first chance I get about how cell phones are friends not food. Because of all those things I’ve missed Golden and I think she has missed me too.

There have also been several times I’ve thought man I haven’t heard from so and so in a while and realized just how much we have come to rely on Social Media to stay in touch with our everyday people. Sure I’ve emailed more than I usually do but often those people don’t check their mail or like I used to would see the message pop up, read it and think I’ll reply later then never did. I’ve also missed talking to my twitter friends from a far and have wondered how they are doing but with lack of e-mail addresses for them I haven’t been able to get in touch with them. I wonder if they have even missed me ?

So while this “break” has been far easier than I’d have thought it would be I do miss the connectivity that social media gives me in my every day world as well as with the people who I’ve connected with that without Social Media I wouldn’t know at all. I often say that we have forgotten that this social media is supposed to be about being Social and I’m realizing just how much social goes into my media. I plan to keep that mantra in my mind as I re-log into all my accounts and keep the social going cause without it what’s the point. So join me won’t you as I get social again ….. let’s use this medium the way it was intended.

Have a fantastic week and if you celebrate it … HAPPY EASTER!!!!

Marcy

Giving up Social Media for Lent

 Lent (Latin: Quadragesima: Fortieth) is a solemn religious observance in the liturgical calendar that begins on Ash Wednesday and ends approximately six weeks later, before Easter Sunday. The purpose of Lent is the preparation of the believer through prayer, doing penance, repentance of sins, almsgiving, atonement, and self-denial. In Lent, many Christians commit to fasting or giving up certain types of luxuries as a form of penance. Many Christians also add a Lenten spiritual discipline, such as reading a daily devotional or praying through a Lenten calendar, to draw themselves near to God

So for a while I’ve been pondering killing off all of my social media, from Twitter, to Facebook, to Instagram, all of it has become too damn much. I wake up in the mornings and check it, I scroll through my timeline before shutting everything off and going to bed and all it’s doing is stressing me out. So I’ve decided instead of going cold turkey and killing it off all together I’m going to take a break. I’ve decided that I’m giving up Social Media for Lent.

I’ve created this very social thing that has recently been used to tear things down, to bitch about things we can’t control, and to complain about it all. I recently went through my follow list on Twitter and killed off some of the negativity but it’s still very powerful and all in my face more than I’d like. Yes before you send me a thousand messages there is some positivity on the net right now, like the hospice worker who sings to his patient, free music, free food… and kids, kids are always adorable. However right now the negative aspects of Social media are out weighing the positive.

So I’m walking away. From March 1^st through April 15^th I’m done. I’m turning off all notifications, I’m deleting the aps from my phone and I will see you all on the other side. My life is not to the point where I can't not check my e-mail so if you need me and know that address …. Feel free to contact me.

This is truly a sacrifice because I mostly use Social Media to keep up with people, like Golden and my favorite musicians, sports figures and my family but I just …. Need a break from everything else. From the republican VS democrat BS … from the media vs the President BS....., from my cause is more important than your cause...... and of course the Presidential BS in general. I just need to walk away.

I’ve never really “given up” anything for Lent, so here’s hoping I can make this work. I hate it tho cause on March 10^th I’m going to Auburn for a Gymnastics meet with a friend of mine, my nephew will be inducted into the National Junior Honor Society, and some things at my new Church that I hope to help out with like the annual Easter Egg hunt and Bible School for the little ones. These are all things that I would post about, but hopefully by doing this “break” I’ll be more present in these things and enjoy them more. I have recently been told that I often overlook how my actions affect the people around me, and part of that is that I’m more connected to the people who live on my social media feeds than the people who live in my everyday world. I’ve decided that focusing on my everyday world people more would make my everyday world better cause there’s not a lot about my social media world that I feel I can control anymore.

So I’ll see you guys on the other side, maybe I’ll put that social media energy into this blog, maybe I won’t… frankly I’m looking forward to unplugging and see what happens.

Have a great few weeks and take care of yourselves out there and if someone could … check in on @theonlygolden every once in a while for me!

Thanks

Marcy (@beaslma)