We love all things quick and easy, convenient… and the more the better! More likes, more followers, more images, more info. We don’t have time to read all the articles so we check the headlines, skim it over and consume the images. Endlessly scrolling, FB, IG, twitter. Short sound bites and visuals that try to one-up the one that came before.
I’ve noticed a shift in myself over the last few years, especially using IG. The constant curated images, all the beautiful snapshots of faraway destinations and perfectly styled homes, children and bookshelves. I love scrolling through IG. But my attention span has shortened. I reach for my phone too often, spend too much time being inundated with images and words, words that float through my mind only to be replaced by new ones before they even have a chance to settle.
I noticed this change because it wasn’t always like this. It’s uncomfortable to admit it but the experts sounding alarm bells, are quite right.
All the sharing and liking were used like a drug to get people hooked on checking Facebook non-stop. “How do we consume as much of your time and conscious attention as possible,” said Parker, referring to Facebook’s earliest mission.
-Sean Parker
Social Media is the balm that promises to soothe all boredom as if boredom is some painful condition that we must be saved from. It’s changing the way our brains work in an incredible way. The more we use it, the more we crave it and the more unbearable our smartphone-less hands feel.
It’s not all bad though, I’ve connected to so many incredible people, I’ve found and created community and connection. I think we need to conciously evaluate our habits and how we use SM platforms and re-adjust as necessary. For me, right now, it means taking a break. No more FB and IG until the New Year when I will be making some changes to what I share and how I interact online.
December is the perfect time to slow down and turn our attention inward and to those loved ones we share our lives with. The perfect time to deeply connect with family, friends and neighbors.
For those of you who I have the privilege of meeting weekly at our Forest Play sessions, they will continue and info will be posted here (location etc) as well as being decided in person. Sadly I don’t think we’ll have snow this Wednesday (no tobogganing) so we’ll be at base camp in the ST woods, around the fire at 1 pm.
Here’s what we were up to during our last Forest Play session:
See you in the woods,
xo
Cristina
P.S. If you’d like to still chat/connect with me I’d love to read your coments or if you prefer to share them privatley, just send me a note via the contact form.
1 Comment
I see these pictures and I imagine the “goings on” inside the minds of these children. While they’re free to run, sit, jump, skip, lie down in the snow, pause and stare, scream or whisper I imagine the sparks flickering inside their brains and wonder what they wonder. I love that the open space of nature leaves space to do what the soul wants to do. I imagine there to be a lot of noise but also much time to be silent and just listen. Thank you for sharing this with us. We all need to intentionally unplug.