The old saying goes, "you can't teach an old dog new tricks". Well I can tell you after raising fourteen dogs in the past twenty years that is certainly not true. Not even sure where that saying came from. Anyone can learn something new, it just depends on if they want too or not.
I finally did it. I deleted my Facebook account. I also deleted all social media apps off my phone. I did however create a completely new Facebook account just so I can keep track of the services in the county I live in and a couple of support groups I enjoy interacting with along with a bible study group that I am currently doing. I have no friends or family on there, I follow no other social media people, nothing. So now, instead of spending hours falling down into a never-ending scroll on social media, I go on, see if there's anything I need to know locally, check my menopause group, my bible study group and I am off.. I sound like I really have this all together don't I? (laughs) today is the first day but I will say, mentally, I feel so much better already!!!
You see, each morning before I even get out of bed, after having prayed (I do that the minute I open my eyes) I pop on the local news on TV for the local weather and then I open my tablet and start scrolling.. Instagram, Facebook Tiktok, I take my muscle relaxer so I can eat some scrambled eggs and before I know it, the first hour of the day has gone by and I have done nothing but get lost in a social media haze that within that hour has manipulated my thoughts and my emotions without me even realizing it.. It feels SO CLAUSTROPHOBIC!!
I am being open, raw and honest here. I am addicted to social media. In the last four years? I can't remember but it's been a long time. Every area of my life has suffered because of it. My relationship with the Lord has suffered tremendously, my faith has suffered. He NEEDS to be BEFORE everything and everyone and I have been putting Him last. I feel so bad about this because HE always puts me FIRST..
I stopped reading. I have stopped watching my old classic movies, I haven't watched a movie with my husband in so long I don't even remember the last movie we watched together. My blog, maybe some of you can tell has suffered. I post, maybe, here and there. I go months and months with nothing and then suddenly pop up again. I start projects and they sit for weeks on end if I ever finish them. You know, instant gratification and all. I can't stand it anymore.
So last night a few hours before bed I sat down and deleted the apps off my phone which is what I use to post the most. Created that generic facebook account as I explained above. Today, New Years Day since I was unable to go to Mass (health reasons) I did TWO bible studies this morning. I am liking both of them so much so I don't want to stop one for the other. I cooked dinner this morning so I didn't have to cook it tonight. I went outside and took care of the chickens and spent some time with them. Yes you can spend time with chickens. I have three girls and soon as they hear my voice they start yappin away. I refreshed their water, made sure they had enough food in their feeder, gave them a healthy helping of scratch because after all it is a holiday. Sat in the pen with them for a while, pet them talked to them, they talked back to me, have no idea what they say but I'm sure they know...
Made breakfast for my husband... I actually finished my recipe binder that I started THREE months ago and has been sitting on my table waiting to be completed. Tonight I actually read a good portion of a book that I started a MONTH ago and will continue to read when I am done posting to my blog...Once I really began to get serious and realize that no one can make the changes in my life that I want besides myself I asked myself a question. All these people you watch on YouTube, TikTok, follow on Instagram, Facebook, are they adding anything to your life? Are you gaining anything from spending your precious time in hours at a time listening too, watching them following them adding anything, anything at all positive to your life or is it taking things from you? The answer is, no, nothing positive. Why am I involved in these peoples lives? Do I know them? No, I don't know them, I don't them from a hole in the wall and they don't know me. They are doing nothing for me, I am gaining nothing from them but I am losing a lot by wasting my time and energy on people and things that I neither know nor add anything positive to my life. Time to pull the plug. Halleluiah , thank you Jesus I see it now!..
And as for my blog, I used to make a post and then I would go and post the link to Facebook, Instagram, Twitter etc. Now? I don't care about numbers. I don't care how many readers I have or don't have. I am writing for me. I have always said, having my personal blog has always been like therapy for me but for a while there I worried about numbers and followers and you know what? It sucked the joy right out of it for me. I don't care about any of that now. If people read, that's really nice and if they don't that's okay too. If google lets people find my blog that's great and if they don't, well that's okay too. It's not about any of that. It never was until I became addicted to social media. Time to pull the plug on that line of thinking as well.
So you see, I'm fifty one now and yes, you can teach an old dog new tricks. The dog just has to decide if they want to learn and grow or not.