Social Media Cleanup

So I went through Facebook last week and unfollowed/followed a bunch of people. I’ve decided that with all the negativity on Facebook (conspiracy theorists, anti-maskers, and just people who just generally make inconsiderate statements), Facebook was becoming too much for me. I’d been considering deleting it altogether, but I didn’t want to because that’s how I keep up with a lot of my family and friends and how I keep all of them updated on Kam, especially since a lot of them haven’t even been able to meet him yet (thanks TOF and COVID).

I’ve been emotionally struggling as it is lately and trying to navigate this crazy world and make the safest, best decisions for us and Kam is hard enough without seeing all that crap and feeling like it’s pointed directly at me. And before you say something along the lines of, “Well I’m entitled to my opinion and it has nothing to do with you!” - yes. Yes it does have something to do with me, because our household is one that has a tiny person who IS high risk and you’re effectively telling us to go screw ourselves and saying we don’t matter when you say, “For most people it’s not that bad, and all these measures are overkill and unnecessary.” Or, “If you’re that worried about it, just stay home and let the rest of us live our lives.”

I could go on and on, but I won’t. I don’t want to dwell on it more than I need to anymore. I started this whole journey, before Kam was even born, with the thought that it doesn’t matter what anyone else thinks. I’m going to do what’s best for us no matter what. And I still feel that way, but when it feels like negativity coming in from all sides, it gets really freaking hard not to care and not to let it get to me. And the majority of people who actually matter in my life understand, but even that is hard to hold onto when there’s so much other crap being said by so many other people. 

So I did some social media cleaning. I don’t need to see just people with the same opinion as me, but I do need to see people who are respectful if they have differing views. So anyone who doesn’t fall into those categories on social media was unfollowed. I made sure I was following people I really want to see and enjoy seeing updates from - people who make me feel positive, not sad. And in the several days since I did that, I’ve started to enjoy Facebook again. It doesn’t get rid of the actual events happening in the world. I can’t turn that off, and as long as it’s happening, I don’t feel like anyone should try because we all need to deal with it. But I feel much better about the kind of things I’m seeing from people there now. Instead of people blowing up about politics and COVID and BLM and spreading misinformation, I’m seeing more thoughtful posts about all of the above and more overall positive things about everyday life. Nothing has to be comfortable, but I do want to see thoughtful and considerate and inclusive things. And I think I might have my news feed going in that direction now. 

It might seem trivial, but so far I think it’s helpful for my own mental/emotional health in this crazy world we live in right now.