STUCK IN THE DIGITAL WORLD?

I just deleted my Instagram profile. Yes, it’s gone. And honestly, it was a challenging and heavy thing for me to let go of. I can’t believe how emotionally attached I was to this “false image” that I had created, and all the work I put into it.

I guess I finally got sick and tired of being used by technology, and not facing my underlying negative feelings that would drive me towards it in the first place. I value my consciousness too much to be constantly distracted, and I don’t want to rely on Instagram to suppress my feelings and connection with myself.

I found that having social media on my phone was the real problem. By having constant and easy access to social media, there were certainly days where I would get sucked into the virtual world (the Matrix), and I allowed my thoughts and emotions to be elevated or depressed because of how many likes or views I would get. So, social media on my phone is simply too deleterious and unhealthy for me.

At times, there can be a great struggle in understanding the difference between the virtual world and reality.

YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH YOUR PHONE

Almost everyone has a phone, along with almost unlimited access to information. However, this innovative technology—which is used everyday—cannot be used without some level of emotional attachment to it. When our emotions are involved, there is a relationship involved. The more time spent on your phone combined with brain pleasure stimulus (dopamine spikes), the more emotional attachment develops, and the more likely we are to create a habit out of it. A habit is a subconscious pattern that happens with little to no conscious thought.

Our phones are highly addictive. The more we use them habitually, the more susceptible we become to allowing them to control our mental and emotional state. When we allow our phones to control our attention, we give our power away. And, every time we go online (checking social media, the news, YouTube, etc.) we are being hypnotized.

Are you okay with developing a habit of using your phone? Are you using the phone, or is it using you? If you think about your daily habits and routines, how many of them revolve around being on your phone? How would your life look, if you spent way less time on your phone? What would happen to your self-esteem if you got off social media? Is there a subconscious compulsion, urge, or obligation to be on your phone?

Just so you don’t feel like I am picking on you, I am writing most of these questions because I need to hear them too.

SOCIAL MEDIA IS NOT SOCIAL

As social beings, we have an inherent need to feel connected with each other. The operative word here is FEEL, which is an emotional response that substantiates our sense of connection. And, as long as we feel and believe that we are connected, we are satisfying our needs. This is why social media, which is not based in reality, creates the perceived FEELING or belief that we are connected with each other. However, when we shine a light on our perceived sense of connection, we find that the virtual world falls short—leaving us unsatisfied, empty, and lonely. In reality, social media is false connection. It creates the illusion that we can get our emotional needs met by being active online.

Real connection is multi-dimensional. There is an energy exchange that cannot be replaced from anything online. As human beings, we have senses, feelings, intuition, and body language; all of which creates a level of connection that satisfies our needs. The depths of our social interactions need to be experienced, and social media will never measure up.

THE GAP THAT GETS CREATED INSIDE OF US

When our needs are not being met, we habitually look outside of ourselves as a means to try and fulfill what is missing. Excessively looking at everyone else’s lives on social media creates the perception of lack in our own lives, which leads us to believe that there is a gap that needs to be filled for us to one day be happy.

When we get offline, we feel an unconscious need to have what “they” have, and do what “they” do, in order to be complete. Social media creates false idols and fantasy lives that make us long for that which will never make us feel true joy and fulfillment.

Therefore, too much exposure has serious negative consequences for our own self-concept (self-image + self-esteem). After all, we weren’t designed to reach for connection or fulfillment in a virtual world that distorts reality. The result is that we begin to see ourselves in a distorted way—like looking into a carnival mirror.

THE PROJECTION OF YOUR IMAGE

Your social media profile is a distorted and incomplete look into your life. You are choosing to post what you want to post. In almost every case, you choose to post the best selection of photos or videos. Why would we want to post anything less? Of course, some people spend far less time and just post content that they claim as more authentic or real. But when it comes down to it, people only show you what they want you to see. Their profile is still an image that is not a complete look at who they are. Since it’s impossible to show the world your entire life, your profile is far from complete. Therefore, everything that you share is simply a projection of what you want others to see.

WHY ARE YOU ON SOCIAL MEDIA?

Do you just want to chat with others? Do you do it purely for business? Do you find motivation from certain posts, people, or quotes? Or is it something deeper? Are you looking for connection, or a sense of belonging? Do you need attention, approval, or validation from others? Are you scared of missing out on what others are doing? Are you going on just to numb yourself from the pain you’re currently experiencing?

Its’ not right or wrong to be on social media, but it is important to find out why.

Hope you enjoyed this post. Leave a comment below and let me know what you think!