This lapsed Catholic gave up something for Lent.
I know, I know. God probably would've preferred I give up kissing boys for Lent, but you can't give up what you aren't getting.
I went for it.
I deleted all social media apps from my phone and didn't do much on Facebook.
What did I learn?
- Social media isn't inherently bad. It's useful for event planning, information sharing, and pictures of cute babies and puppies. The reason I didn't deactivate my account completely was because I needed to stay up to date on the Crossfit Open and our own gym's intramural open. It's not bad to know what's going on in peoples' lives. I have learned about some pretty cool events merely because they were advertised on Facebook.
-Social media becomes bad when we confuse it for real life. I am constantly reminded that social media is a carefully curated highlight reel of someone's life. For every beautifully sculpted abdomen I see, we don't see that same guy crying because he can't experience the joy of downing an entire pint of Ben and Jerry's while watching an early 90s romantic comedy.
-There's something exciting about mystery. If I am posting my every waking thought and moment on Facebook, what can I bring to the table in person?! Do we really want our conversations to merely be about what we posted on Facebook? Or do we want to talk about new and different things that excite us? I have lots of thoughts and opinions, it doesn't mean I need to share every single one with my followers.
-I like taking photos and documenting my experiences. Again, this isn't inherently bad. Taking a picture with our phone is no different than your grandmother taking a picture of you during your first trip at Disney World with the Kodak disposable camera. But, nothing can substitute the art of experiencing something. A selfie with your friends is great...but putting your phone down and being present with them and engaging is much better.
-People are really fun to talk to. Because my phone was pretty much a brick that I could text with once I got rid of social media, I wasn't compelled to check my phone every five minutes. When I was with my friends, my phone stayed in my pocket a lot more. I recognized how more respectful I was being of their time and how much more I enjoyed my time with them. We do "Friday Night Lights" during the Crossfit Open at my gym, and I got to appreciate a deeper level of friendship with people because I spent time chatting with them, rather than being buried in my phone. My friends received a more genuine, engaged, open, and REAL Eric. I owed that much to them.
-People like me and missed me. Although removing myself from social media was ultimately better for my mental health, my absence did cause some friends to reach out to me and see if I was okay. So, your actions or lack of actions go noticed, even if you may not know it.
-I missed it. I missed sharing artistic pictures of donuts. I missed making witty comments on stati. I missed tweeting inane thoughts about getting drunk and eating potato skins with Kathy Bates (admit it - she would be a HOOT!) I missed seeing my friends Snapchatted as rainbow vomiting unicorns. But, not having it made me put less value on the product and more value on the people behind it. My friends are my friends, even if they aren't vomiting rainbows, ya know? And now that I'm back (I ended the fast a little early...sue me), I appreciate it more as a tool - not as the be all end all of existence in our technology-heavy society.
So, it's good to be back...but I will remind myself of these past 40(ish) days whenever I find myself falling into a dark social media rabbit hole.
And like my friend Kelaine said in her Prompt piece here -
Now, who can get me in contact with Kathy Bates's agent...because really...It's time she and I drunkenly ingest some 'tato skins.
