Social media is an interesting thing. It allows us to connect with like-minded people, stay up-to-date with our friends and people we are interested in, and learn about news within a moment’s notice. But, it’s not all rainbows and lollipops. Getting annoyed with social media happens to everyone for many different reasons. That’s when social media becomes less of a productive and friendly tool and more of a nuisance. If social media is dragging you down for one reason or another, you don’t need to get rid of it, you just need to affirm to yourself that social media is a tool that should be used wisely.
It’s Time To Let Go Of The Annoying Parts Of Social Media
The annoying side of social media doesn’t serve you well. It makes you mad, annoyed, and even sad in some cases, so why bother taking part in it? Why put yourself through the negative feelings when you have better things you could be doing?
Following are a few things you need to let go of on social media:
1. The Fakeness
For most people, social media is a place to strut their stuff. They share the best of the best pictures, experiences, and thoughts. They carefully plan each picture or post, and nothing gets posted that makes their life look bad in any way.
But, many of these people’s lives are not anything close to what their social media claims.
For example, I know someone who is falling apart in real life, but on social media, she is the queen of queens. She takes the term ‘fakebook’ to a whole new level. Whatever happens in her real life, the opposite happens on her social media. For instance, if she has a horrible day with her son, she will post a perfect picture of her and her son and talk about what a great day it was. As someone with an inside view of her real life, it’s annoying to see her social media posts where she makes everything look as perfect as possible. Knowing what I know, it makes her look very egotistical – as if her image is the most important thing to her, which it may very well be.
The fact is that people are going to be fake on social media. It would be nice if everyone was honest on social media, but that’s not going to happen. Too many people tie their self-worth into their image, so they are never going to be real and honest when it comes to their presentation. They don’t just need to look good on social media, they also need the likes, shares, and comments to boost their self-worth.
When you spot a post that is obviously fake, don’t get upset about it. Know that they are not comfortable sharing their real life. They don’t want people to know that their lives aren’t perfectly perfect. They want people to think they have their shit together and everything is going along smoothly, even though that’s not how life goes.
They haven’t figured out how to be happy with who they are yet, and that’s nothing for you to get mad at. If anything, you should feel bad that they are not comfortable enough to be honest and stop sharing things that just aren’t true.
Your options?
- Unfriend the people who are obviously fake
- Don’t spend time on their profiles or reading their posts as you know they are never a reflection of the truth.
- Learn from them and let your annoyance towards them guide your own actions when it comes to being honest and real.
- Let them do their fakeness thing and be OK with it
2. The Hate
Haters feel powerful when they express their anger and make you feel bad.
Have you ever tried to talk to someone who is mean-spirited? If you have, you know that the conversation isn’t a calm and happy one. It’s full of spit and fire that makes you angry and want to punch someone in the face.
Why waste your time on these people? It’s a waste of time to argue with a hater because the argument will never go anywhere meaningful. In fact, it’s a waste of time to say anything to a hater. You will also end up feeling angry or hurt.
Your options?
- Unfriend, unfollow, or block mean-spirited people.
- Learn from them and let your annoyance towards them guide your own actions when it comes to being a hater towards others.
- Ignore them.
3. The Fear
Some people on social media are terrifying. They don’t focus on facts, they focus on their fears, worries, and opinions, and they can make a simple situation seem like one that’s going to end in doom and gloom. These people can drag you into their fear, which affects your ability to get things done and live a happy and meaningful life.
Why do they do this? Social media offers people a platform to be heard, and all the conspiracy theorists enjoy sharing and being heard. They don’t have credible evidence, but they want everyone to be as worried as they are about the future.
Your options?
- Unfriend, unfollow, or block fear-promoting people.
- Don’t take anything they say too seriously.
- Focus on facts, not on hearsay or opinion.
- Maintain a positive attitude about life and your future.
- Learn from them and let your annoyance towards them guide your own actions; therefore, become more optimistic and take action to ensure your best possible outcomes can manifest.
4. The Sadness
Some people are sad and use social media to express how horrible they feel. It can be easy to get caught up in their sadness. A feeling of depression can be contagious.
If you constantly focus on people who are sad or hopeless, you will become sad or hopeless yourself.
It is not your duty to make other people feel good. Only they can make themselves feel good, and if they are constantly sharing sad things, they are not anywhere close to the mindset they need to be in to promote better thoughts, feelings, and shares.
Your options?
- Unfriend, unfollow, or block people who always have something sad to share.
- Learn from them and let your annoyance towards them guide your own actions when it comes to oversharing on social media.
It’s also important to remember this: Social media posts are not always as they seem. The poster may have posted with one intent, but didn’t make that intent clear, which can cause a lot of problems with people who misunderstand the post. Therefore, remember that your perception may not be their perception, and if you need clarification, get it before you make assumptions about what they are trying to say.
Now, Embrace The Positive Aspects Of Social Media
I use social media to help me grow, connect, and get things done. It’s a tool for my well-being.
Once you stop interacting with the negative aspects of social media, you can use it to inspire yourself to do more, become more, or be happier.
1. Inspiration
There are plenty of people on social media doing amazing things. They are focused on the good and showcasing their stories and achievements, and you can use that to inspire yourself to be a better human being.
Follow people who inspire you. And, follow people who are where you want to be and have the wisdom to help you get there.
2. Community
Social media offers you a unique chance to be a part of a community with people you love, and with people who live all over the world. In this community, you get a sense of fellowship that helps you stay motivated, maintain good habits, and even feel good about yourself.
For instance, the community of people who watch Special Books by Special Kids helped raise enough money for a family who desperately needed to get a van. The community donated to the cause, but they also shared the video and helped it get out so that other people could see it and help out if they wanted to.
Another example is ‘groups’ on Facebook where you connect with people who are taking the same course as you or interested in the same hobby as you. These groups offer you a connection to a community of people who are going to help you learn, grow, and feel good.
A social media community is powerful and can support you in times of need. Allow yourself to be a part of communities that resonate with your ethics and your goals in life for support, advice, and even help when you need it.
3. Research And Growth
When you want to know something, social media can be a godsend. I use social media for all of my writing. I can’t remember one time where I did not refer to social media in some way when it came time to write an article.
You can pull a lot of ideas, facts, and tips off social media that help you put together whatever you are trying to create.
If you don’t remember a day where social media was not a thing, trust me, you could not do research anywhere near as quickly as you can now. Information is everywhere on social media, and as long as you sort through the fake, hate, fear, and sadness, you can come away with the information you need to support you on your journey of growth and creation.
