Connection

It seems as if the purpose of social media would be to create connection. To share slices of who we are with other people to find common ground, or discover and share new ideas.

The catch is that social media is not designed to create connection but to keep us plugged in.

A never-ending hamster wheel of getting more followers, likes, and shares.

Getting more followers, likes, and shares makes us feel like we’re part of a community, and being part of a community feels good.

So we water down our point of view in hopes of not offending anyone. When hot button issues pop up instead of digesting information, checking in with ourselves, and moving forward in a way that feels true to us, we simply parrot back the loudest voice.

We do these things because it’s nice to fit in and it makes us feel safe. No one can judge us if we don't let them know us. Plus maybe we’ll get some more followers. Maybe more people will like us.

Being left out sucks. But being someone you’re not sucks even more.

To experience true connection with others we must first connect with ourselves.

This requires the courage to be honest with ourselves and then the courage to share that honesty with others. It’s scary. I struggle with it every day. But the times I find the courage to push through the fear of not being accepted always seem to be the places I find the deepest connection.