Normally I write fiction for the Trifecta prompt. That was on the to-do list for later today, but then I found that the word “juggle” being on my mind jumped into this piece of personal blogging. Enjoy a bit of my less-exciting real life:
I went two weeks without Facebook or Google+. In one hour I go back. I feel apprehensive. Aside from a little loneliness, it’s been a great two weeks. I’ve done editing, dancing, art, cleaned house, and gardened. My anxiety decreased, and overall I’m happier.
However, my stress now is high, just thinking about Facebook. It’s too much, which sounds silly, as it’s just a big page of people saying little things, but it’s so much pressure for me. I can’t juggle real life and virtual existence. The constant urge to check it, looking every five minutes for fear of missing something. I went two weeks without it. Obviously there was nothing important. The pressure to say something witty. When I comment on a status, I’m an insecure person at a party, desperately trying to seem relevant. When I post something, I’m a yippy dog barking for attention.
I’m not a one-sentence person, nor should I need other people’s approval. The last few weeks I mostly didn’t. I felt good because of what I accomplished and created, not for how many likes I got. What social media gives is not what I need. I want friends to work on hobbies, do activities, and actually care about each other’s lives. I don’t want hundreds of acquaintances, all barking simultaneously.
I need a plan. I have to keep my author page, because someday I will have fans. As for my personal page, I don’t know. I’ve tried time limits and schedules but it never worked. I don’t think it will work now. Once I start reading I can’t stop; once I post I become tethered. Maybe I could cut my friends list, but I don’t know who to cut. Should I delete it? If I do, I will never hear about social events, as I will not be invited directly. Will I become a social hermit? If two weeks without Facebook is a cabin vacation, deleting it is going to live alone in a cave.
kittysarkozy.com 
I totally know what you mean. About once a year I do a “spring cleaning” of my FB friends. I know it’s hard to create filters though, as to who to cut.
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Easier just to get your physical life too busy for the virtual one!
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What you describe is exactly why I’ve never done Facebook. Blogging is enough of a time gobbler 🙂
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I got off of Facebook years ago and never looked back. Too much drama, honestly. I like Twitter much better (although it’s more addicting by far). I’m sure you’ll be fine when you go back (:
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What a wonderful blog post-something most of us understand & can relate to.Congratulations on your self-control-it just shows that if you set your mind to it,you can control your virtual life too:-)I loved the lines,”The pressure to say something witty. When I comment on a status, I’m an insecure person at a party, desperately trying to seem relevant. When I post something, I’m a yippy dog barking for attention.” & “I’m not a one-sentence person, nor should I need other people’s approval.”Fantastic!I think you will find yourself enjoying the “back in the groove” feel when you get back-just think of it as a few missed episodes in a family drama serial on TV-inconsequential;-)
Yes,I am on FB but then I am not so much into posting statuses-have my school alumni there where I am one of the admins,play a word game & a interior designing game-share a few quotes,fun pics or songs or poems but can stay without that when necessary-have done it many a times .I love that it opens me up to different cultures & people but I try to stay away from the drama queens & gossip mongers-a tough one that,lol!I have heaps of real life friends-all of them going back mostly to my childhood-so ,no worries or needs there-maybe that keeps me grounded:-)
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