First off, I want to express gratitude for all of the love I’ve gotten from my last blog post. I’m trying to be more honest when I write, and it feels good knowing you all resonate with that honesty.
The response I received got me thinking about social media, and the performance we all put on every day for the online world. It certainly was not my intention to hide what has been going on in my life, I just wasn’t ready to admit it or talk about it. The fact that so many people had no idea made me realize that all we know about a person’s life is what they decide to show us. Social media is full of double-edged swords.
For example, I love being connected to old friends and family that I would have no contact with if it weren’t for FaceBook. I love watching children grow up, I love being able to celebrate friends’ accomplishments and seeing major milestones in their lives. Although i love hearing about people’s lives, sometimes boundaries get blurred. I don’t love when people air their dirty laundry on social media. I cannot stand vague posts that leave us wondering and questioning. “Hopefully I can recover from this…” Recover from what? Are you sick? Did the Patriots lose? Just tell us, don’t make us get it out of you! Or worse, inflammatory posts. I have regrettably given into the urge to be a “keyboard warrior” a few too many times. Sometimes the confidence that being behind a screen gives us is to our own demise. Social media can bring people together. March for Our Lives, Black Lives Matter, the Women’s March… so many of these powerful protests were organized on social media. But then again, going down a rabbit hole – creating a spiraling, negative, space where folks can egg each other on.
Needless to say, there’s a delicate balance to strike when it comes to social media. It took me some time to share the details of my private life because not everything needs to be shared right away. I think we all, myself included, could benefit from a little more intentionality with the things we share and do. A goal I have for 2022 is to be intentional, vulnerable, and inspiring through what I share online. Hopefully, this blog is a good start being the person I want to become on all platforms
Accidental Harmony 