Happy Birthday to Me
Today is my 30th birthday and today I have given myself something I have been wanting for a while. Nearly 100% disconnect from all things social online. So starting at around midnight I began systematically deleting all my profiles, pages, and posts and I am making good progress.
This isn't a new trend in my life really. Starting last year I dramatically trimmed my email. I deleted tens of thousands of emails. Wiped out thousands of contacts --people I really didn't know and whose information I was never really going to need. I have also been on Twitter a whole lot less. It is funny. When Google+ came out I immediately was there. But for all of it's coolness, it has failed to prove to me that it is useful in replacing Facebook. In fact, Facebook got noticeably better this year, in my opinion. So with three (four if you count LinkedIn) major social networks now vying for my attention, it didn't take long for me to get disinterested in all three of them. I am just not interested enough to try to make that balancing act work.
In no formal way, I also started a journey through the happy and peaceful world of minimalism a couple years ago. I love it. Ever since I started tossing out junk and cutting back on just about every expense category we have, I have noticed a proportional increase in the peace and happiness of our home. I love having less.
But online, the world that I have made a big part of my career the last several years, has never been really tackled --much to my chagrin. So I decided a couple months ago that I was going to start mentally prepping myself for the day. I woke up this morning and immediately smiled at the idea of not getting another notification email or that silly red "1" from Google Plus isn't going to be telling me that someone from India has added me to their circle (for the 3,000th time). No more notifications on my phone telling me that I got another spam tweet.
I will keep my blog. In fact, one of the reasons I wanted to try jumping out of social networking sites is I want to see if it will help me get back to blogging. I do enjoy writing and I always regret not doing enough of it.
Happy holidays.
Wow, really amazing Sid! What an interesting journey this social media stuff has been. Glad to have met you online, but really enjoyed hanging with you in person. Hope all is well with you as you travel into your 30s and beyond.
ReplyDeleteThank you Rex. Knowing you will always be a highlight on this journey. Melinda and I really enjoyed the time we got to spend with you and Lanie. Happy holidays my friend.
ReplyDeleteHappy 30th! I totally understand wanting to cut down on the social media stuff. I don't use my profiles 1/100th as much as you do and I still find keeping up with everything daunting.
ReplyDeleteDo keep up the blogging though. You shine outside of activity streams and with more than 140 characters.
That is a really nice thing to say Garrett. I have always found sharing thoughts and ideas inside of social networks difficult. Thanks for the birthday wishes. Here's to new ideas and the space to share them!
ReplyDeleteHappy Belated 30th... :-)
ReplyDeleteThanks Shawn! I miss you my friend. Hope I get the chance to see you when I drop in on Texas.
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