For me, at the start of the pandemic, I made the shift to step back slightly from my own social media as there was just too much going on. As we began to learn about this pandemic, unknowingly how it would shake, rattle our lives, keep us in our houses and threaten the life we once knew. Lately, I have seen many influencers, bloggers, celebrities, personal friends, acquaintances stating “I’m taking a break from social media”!. and you respond instantly saying “yes”, I’m with you!”
Have you noticed a tremendous shift in many others on social media? It is simple you either you absolutely love it, connecting with people or scrolling without intention or you love to connect with people on it, Like you and I do enjoy spending time on there and sharing what’s happening in my life at that moment, but ther’re days (most days), I just don’t have the energy to pick up my phone and caption every single minute of it. I know you know the feeling!
You probably can’t stand it, wishing that you didn’t “have” to use it, wanting to step away from it for long periods of time, and feeling a nasty feeling in your stomach when you open the app to see how “popular” a post was or wasn’t.
Is that what we have come to, validation from a damn app?
There is no doubt that our mindset has a lot to do with how we respond to using social media for our business and in our personal life. As I discussed with a friend recently, we spotted how social media is almost forcing us to use and stay on the app for longer. Then another friend of mine chose to “take a break” to only show up two days later on the same social media app, cause she just couldn’t wait to share another image! Wast it relevant wast it noteworthy – NO!!
So why did this catch me off guard?
Was it that she was choosing to spend less time on social media so that she could choose to spend her on her well-being?
Don’t get me wrong – I love the fact that social media exists as a way not only for us to share happenings and highlights into our lives in a way entirely different from emails, blog posts, or other avenues I can connect with you on but leverage sales of passion projects or creating awareness of being inclusive.
Now there is the other side that I can literally see bothering people, yet we all don’t necessarily want to talk about. As much as we love having social media and scrolling with our fingertips it can tear us apart in an instant, take down a business, ruin our reputation and downright just be mean.
Have you watched Chasing TikTok Dreams in the ‘New Black Hollywood’ who gets to be an influencer? The New York Times released documentaries called The New York Times Presents, a television series but this particular documentary truly grabbed my attention. Did you know the algorithm works based on the colour of your skin? Does the bright pop of colours do best on Tik Tok and Reel? Yes… I was disgusted that “influencers” who are popular will not credit the original creator (my jaw dropped).
Go watch it, if you believe people of colour are being silenced or deprived!!
Clients often ask me about engagement and how to go viral instantly? We post, stay on and continue to scroll, awaiting a comment only to be disheartened over lesser views than yesterday’s 60-sec video, impromptu video received higher numbers. Let us call in the comparison police we are all being charged by the algorithm
Do you feel like you are being held up by the social police and awaiting ransom?
If you find that is currently happening, I want to encourage you today to STOP! Stop this wild goose chase of “being consistent”, showing up daily and ensuring every post is pretty for that aesthetic grid!! Taking the time off means stay off it, delete the app from your phone.
TODAY, I dare you to rather create your boundaries – barriers you are wanting to work within and not. How do you want to show up in this space without being held by your own free will?
No need to explain just continue to be you and do you boo!
