The Facebook Fast

Since I deactivated my Facebook account a few weeks ago, a number of loved ones have approached me to inquire about my reasons for doing so. Some have quizzically, if not aggressively, prompted me for an explanation, causing me to ponder whether my action could be interpreted as one made by one of an unstable mind, or improper social etiquette (perhaps I offended someone in deleting my account without prior notice?). Others merely seemed curious, and acknowledged that they had not seen me as actively on their feed. In these moments, I often wish I had, in fact, deactived my account out of social rebellion, or defiance. I would, of course, be lying if I were to assert that I simply lost my interest in Facebook, that I saw no value in it, or that I had "outgrown" it. No, my actual reasons feel much less noble, or dramatic.

I decided to actually give my answer some thought, and to write about it here. Why did I deactivate my Facebook account?

The answer I stumbled upon after giving it some thought is actually quite simple. I'm making conscious readjustments. 

For the year or so, I've become a bystander to my own life. I began to sit back and enjoy the ride. I'm not sure whose been driving, but it definitely hasn't been me; and I've realized that if you don't consciously make an effort to lead the direction your life is going in, and to evaluate it, it'll get done one way or the other, like an escalator. You'll keep moving forward, or backwards, and you have no say in what direction you're moving. 

I learned that it's really easy to let your life get away from you. It's easy to fall into the trap of routine. It's easy to stop pushing yourself to greatness, and to stop finding opportunities for greatness in the mundane details of everyday adult life. It's comfortable, and you can get used to it. You'll grow accustomed to how numb you feel, and indifference will begin to set in.

And if you're anything like me, you'll start liking it...until you realize what's happened. Until you realize how few decisions you've actually made and how you've lost one of the things that makes us to uniquely,a nd wonderfully human -- simple AWARENESS. You'll be giddy and complacent until you sit still one day and realize that you haven't evaluated your life in a long time, and that you've fallen into the routine you vowed as an idealist college freshman that you'd never buy into. Trust me, you HAVE to evaluate your life consistently, and make sure you're pausing along the way to make conscious decisions about where you're going. If you're making time for the things you actually care about, and if you still have time to do the things you love, and be with the people you can't live without. 

So why deactivate my Facebook account? I'm reevaluating. Nothing revolutionary or rebellious. It'll probably go back up soon enough. I'm not angry or fed up, or done with Facebook. I'm pausing. I'm detoxing for a bit (fasting from the temptation of automatically going on Facebook during any free second), and hoping I can identify some areas for improvement and some action steps to take next.

In a time of year when people rededicate themselves to doing good, and to living with a purpose, I'm using the Holiday season to make conscious readjustments - and to take a step into my personal road less traveled, hoping - no, knowing - that doing so is what makes all the difference.