In Musing Mode: Intentional about Instagram

I took some time off from instagram recently. I decided to take 10 days off, off from posting on instagram and just keeping my thoughts to myself.

I ended up staying away for nine days, but nine days was enough to let me know that why we should be
mindful or intentional with social media.

Instagram is a wonderful wonderful place to be seen, to share your thoughts, to have your mind and its deliciousness on display, to get creative; but what can be a great place to be seen, can also be a great place to hide.

A screen, an instagram screen: being on the other side of the screen, can keep you away from real vulnerability (where someone can read you: your eyes, your hands, your shoulders and everything you are trying real hard not to say).

It can also keep you away from rejection and loneliness (by creating a false sense of connection)

Why a false sense of connection? Because the like button is like a sugar high. Sweet but devoid of any real nutrition. Real nutrition or real connection nourishes us.

A real connection is when someone is witness to you in real life. To all your idiosyncrasies: to the way you make coffee, laugh annoyingly, the way you cry or the way you arrange your food on a plate. All of it.We can't share all of our insides on social media (mercifully), that can be done only in real life.

Instagram, snapchat, most of social media also understand our need for perfection (hello filters), and end of the day all it can leave us at times (when all the wonderful people we meet go back into our phones), perfect and well, lonely.