Cleanse Complete

Today I completed my two week cleanse from all social media – primarily Facebook and Twitter.

Damn was it hard.

I was so excited to finally go on Facebook this morning. I imagined how many notifications I had, how many messages I had, how many fun things I missed. As soon as my browser loaded, I was disappointed. Besides a friend request from a third cousin, I missed NOTHING. No notifications, no messages, nothing interesting or important.

Wow.

This really has just confirmed that my addiction to Facebook is pretty ridiculous. The addiction isn’t derived from anything actually real – just an idea I have been programmed to believe. I believed that Facebook was such a great way to keep informed with my friends and family – but clearly, I haven’t missed anything important in the last two weeks.

This cleanse reminds me of how I went a year without having a “text” function on my phone. Although turning my text function off was inspired after a guy canceled a date with me over text, I really kept it turned off for two reasons: the cost savings (it’s an extra $10 a month) and “the lack communication” reason.

People use texts to replace conversations all the time. Instead of calling someone on the phone and talking about something, they text it. I hate those texts. Unless I am in a place where being on the phone is completely inappropriate, I will not partake in said texts.

I know I am not the first person to say this, but all of this technology that is designed to bring us together actually can pull us apart. And, I hate to say it, but Facebook is one of them.

In the past two weeks, I spent more time with friends, walked Tahn a lot more, and started reading a new book. My inability to be on Facebook really taught me that I rely on Facebook to give me pleasure that isn’t real (i.e. reading someone’s Facebook post that mentions me) and that I need to spend my time, energy and thoughts on something much more productive.

So, from here on forward I will be limiting my use of Facebook, and asking my intention for going on the website, asking myself a few questions. Am I on Facebook trying to waste time? Or to connect with a friend? What is the purpose?

And hopefully my addiction won’t switch over to Twitter…

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Week One

My name is Brittany, and I’m a Facebookaholic.

I haven’t been on Facebook for over a week and I really, really, miss it. What this week without Facebook has taught me is not that I miss seeing my Facebook “friend’s” posts, but I miss updating my status. I have a whole week of status updates in my head and I just have to get them out:

I am loving this weather.

Tahn would really like a walk tonight but I am just not feeling it.

I LOVED my yoga class tonight.

Dodgeball! Dodgeball! Dodgeball!

Feeling defeated. (Editor’s note – I was referring to losing a dodge ball game – it’s all good now).

So tired today…

I am turning into my brother. I am making everyone I know listen to Britney Spear’s new CD and asking their opinions.

Beautiful day!

Phew. I feel better. Well, do I? What did the world lose by not seeing those status updates all week? The people on Facebook who usually comment on my statuses are people who I normally see or talk to on a regular basis and I usually tell them about everything I post. So, why do I need to post?

Actually, not posting my status forced conversations where there previously wasn’t. Usually, I would go to tell a friend something, like, “We lost our dodgeball game last night”. And they would say, “Yeah. I know. I read it on Facebook”. Facebook, while at times is great at spreading information to all your friends, usually handicaps most relationships. Facebook has taken the excitement out of many conversations. As opposed to telling your friends you are engaged, people usually post it on Facebook and then get a huge amounts of comments – which I bet would be more fun to receive over the phone or in person. Or even in a text message. (And I hate text messages. But, I think it would be more personal than a Facebook post)

In addition, I really only allow a handful of my Facebook “friends” to view my wall/ status updates. I do this because I feel I don’t want everyone I am Facebook “friends” with to see what I am posting about. Which, really negates why we are friends. If I don’t want you to see what I am posting about or a picture I added, then tell me again, why are we Facebook “friends”?

Because of the stupid Facebook Shenanigans. (One of my favorite bloggers coined that phrase and I love it). People use the “friending” and “unfriending” of Facebook “friends” as such an important measure of how others feel about them. Like “accepting” someone to be your friend actually means something. News flash: many people will “accept” you to be their Facebook “friend” just because they don’t want to hurt your feelings. Then, after sometime goes by, they “defriend” you.

So then, I have two questions:

1.      Why would it hurt your feelings if someone didn’t “friend” you on Facebook?
2.      Why do you care?

Okay, I ask these questions not only to you, my dear readers of 45 people, but I also ask them of myself. I admit that I have “accepted” people and then “defriended” them after some time has past. I didn’t want to hurt their feelings. However, I have never cared when someone has “defriended” me. I actually think it’s ridiculous. And very silly. If you and I are friends, you know it. We don’t have to be linked on a social networking website for me to prove that to you.

This week of not being on Facebook or Twitter (Twitter! I can’t forget about you?! Twitter, you are my favorite because you are 100% status updates. Oh, Twitter. I miss you!) This wee has not only shown me that I love to update my status, or that being someone’s Facebook “friend” really means nothing about anything, but it also has shown me how much time I waste on Facebook. I realized that every morning I probably spent anywhere from 1-15 minutes on Facebook. At lunch, I would also spend another 1-10 minutes on Facebook. And in the evening, I could spend another 10 minutes on Facebook.

That means I was spending as much as a half an hour everyday on Facebook.

That could count towards another 30 minutes of sleep, or 30 minutes of reading, or 30 minutes at the gym, or 30 more minutes of walking Tahn. Anyway you look at it, I realized Facebook is a waste of time.

I have another week in my cleanse, and I suspect, just like last week, this week may not be any easier. I think, in fact, it may be even harder. But, I am excited to see what I learn next….