I know what you’re thinking. “Really? This girl just wants attention.”
How much time do we spend on social media? We can hide it all we want, but if you have a “smart” phone like mine, it will clearly share with you your weekly screen time usage and what you spend it on. For me, the usual: Snapchat, Instagram, Facebook (yes, I’m that old), and Medium because I love reading everyone’s stories, thoughts, ideas, beliefs, and fantasies. So, we love social media, and we just can’t help it. But, what happens when you disagree with someone? What happens when you see the news once again: “Hey, Parents do you agree with the schools opening back up?” We get upset. We don’t like it when it’s uncomfortable news or that one “friend” always showing those workout muscles (like that’s going to make me workout). We screen time, we get upset, we do stuff, and we go back to screen time. It’s a vicious cycle, but we keep doing it. We always go back. We always follow.
Let me backtrack to five days ago to a beautiful family reunion. STOPPED being a beautiful family reunion when my brother and sister decided to fight, like cats and dogs, but worse because at least cats and dogs are cute. They yelled at each other, accused each other of God knows what, and that’s when the beautiful peaceful evening ended. It only got worse, but hey I’m going to stop right here because the rest gets pretty ugly.
At the end of the weekend, I drove back home with my husband and I sat in the passenger seat in silence. I kept thinking of how peaceful I felt. Not because I didn’t care and not because I didn’t feel a bit (well very much so) uncomfortable of the situation, but because I have been working on myself. On that inner peace. How do you get to that point? And I think I finally did. Once you realize that your family members’ actions are not your problems to solve or to cry over, you start seeing clearer. Their actions have consequences and we all have the power to choose to do the right thing. I also realized that the repeated patterns from your childhood, can come to a complete full red stop. There’s no need to continue with the “what if I would have…”, “I should help a little bit more..” “I should have…” “Let me just do this…” The guilt, the negative feelings that repeatedly come in your soul can start waving goodbye.
Reflect-feel that uncomfortable place you’re in
Notice-the patterns in your life
State-that the predicament you’re in is not your fault
Decide-what will you do next? how will you control your emotions, your body, your mind to create that peace?
For me, it was distance. Distance from people that I love with all my heart, but that interfere with my inner peace. my vibes. my soul.
I unfollowed.
This is the first time, that I’ve done such a “crazy” thing. But, these last 5 days have been restful, peaceful, calm, pure, selfishly mine. Sometimes, it’s okay to take care of yourself first. Give yourself time to simply focus on yourself and to refuel that positive energy that was soaked up by others (even family). Unfollow. I might not know for how long, or if I will ever unblock them from Instagram, Facebook, contacts, etc., but I’m certain that when I do is because I’m ready to try again because I believe in forgiveness.
So, next time you’re on social media or real social life, don’t be afraid to unfollow. Take care of yourself.
