Monday, March 16, 2015

Beware of Facebook Envy

Facebook has intrigued most of us, even if we swore we'd never open an account, or seldom post updates ourselves.  The average  user logs on more than once a day (40 times per month), and spends 23 minutes on the site.  What is it about this specific social media outlet that makes us feel compelled to peek at the lives of our family and friends, and in some cases, acquaintances that we don't even know that well?

Despite Facebook's bright side of staying connected with others, do you ever feel left out when you log on?  Like your life is not nearly as exciting as your friends?  It seems like every day is a party for some Facebook friends.  It's a Tuesday night, and you're home alone, bored, eating a microwave meal while doing laundry.  You take a break, go check Facebook, and see your friends "checking in"  at exquisite restaurants you would only visit on special occasions (and I remind you, it's a week night).  Others are posting their pristine beach vacation photos, looking model-perfect in their swimsuits standing by their adorable, smiling children.

My life is probably average on the scale of excitement, yet recently a friend mentioned to me, "I see by reading your Facebook posts that you're always doing such exciting things."  Really?  Actually, most of the time I'm either working, or at home doing mundane chores.  I then went back and read some of my posts...I don't post daily or even weekly, but only when I'm going out for a fun weekend evening or while on vacation. It's not that I'm trying to portray my life as something out of the ordinary, but ordinary posts of ordinary days are....ordinary. And who cares to read about that?

It seems like at every concert or other anticipated event, I look around and see people with their phones perched out in front of them, ready to take photo and post it on Facebook to let their friends know they were actually there.  Rather than savoring the once-in-a-lifetime moment, they were staring into a little 3 inch screen.

When you're having an ordinary day, remember that others have plenty of these days, too. When you're having a fun, out-of-the-ordinary day, relish it.  Stop the inclination to update your status.  Put your phone in your pocket and enjoy the moment.  There will be time to update your friends later--such as on a Tuesday night while you're doing laundry.


4 comments:

  1. <3 <3 <3 I have so many comments!! I'll wait until my next laundry break to post them lol. Good read Antoinette!

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    1. Thanks Talea! Glad to know I'm not the only one who feels this way.

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  2. Good post Antoinette. Many of us should follow your wisdom and read more (as you say "peak" and post less...except John...great stuff he's doing.

    Good blog and congratulations on the Maxwell certification and the GPS launch.

    Blessings

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