31 Days Without Facebook

I am staunchly anti-New Year's resolutions.  I believe that resolutions made in the context of pressure from peers to create resolutions merely is fodder for self-contempt upon imminent failure.  I refuse to set New Year's resolutions; rather, I will set a goal when I'm really determined and fed up with my current status, and then pursue that goal hard.  If I want to do so in April, who are you to tell me I should wait until the following January 1 to do something so significant?

At the end of the year, however, I found myself in a situation (self-created, I fully admit) I didn't approve of.  I went to sleep at night only after reviewing all my friends' unread Facebook posts; I awoke in the morning and often checked to see what everyone else was doing before I'd start my own day.  Do I really need to know what 'everyone else' is up to that regularly?  What if I spent more time doing things that I enjoy, or that I know create good discipline?

So...on January 9, I announced to those who read my Facebook feed that I would not log on for the following month.  Today, that month has expired.  I successfully avoided logging on, with two notable exceptions: I posted a status after my car was broken into and my purse stolen January 10, warning my lady friends to not do as I did, and to keep their stuff hidden from criminals; and I confirmed a friend request from a dear girl who I could not leave hanging, since she certainly didn't know of my Facebook Diet.  On both occasions, I logged in, took the action intended, and logged out.  Even the glimpse of the new format a few days ago was not enough bait to keep me there.  Nor the begging notifications on my phone and iPad, telling me that the world cannot live without me signing on.  Yes, yes, it really can!!

What did I learn or accomplish over this month?  Off the top of my little head:

• I read a book.  Specifically, The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo.  I loved it.  And now I'm 60% through The Girl Who Played With Fire, and I'm loving it even more.  The time I would have spent admiring all ya'll's interesting lives?  Yep, a bunch of it was spent reading.  Even more notable since I'd owned the paperback and Kindle versions of Dragon Tattoo for months, without ever getting past the first few pages.  And I hadn't read anything in quite a long time.
• I had real-life encounters with others, and none of the sound-bite updates that make me think everyone else has it better/more interesting/exceedingly more exotic than me.  Or, an even stronger way to say that, I lived in MY life.  Reality may not be pretty, but God is on my side, and I need to stay engaged.  If I need Facebook to 'take me away,' it served me well to take a step back and evaluate why.
• I learned I had self-control over this one.  I'm sure you can identify with the lame, half-hearted, "I should see if I can __________," which really holds no intent to take action.  To some, it may seem like a pretty insignificant accomplishment to stay away from Facebook for a month, but if you are one of those who wakes up to FB and falls asleep to FB, you'll understand.  
• I expanded on my crocheting hobby.  Set a goal to enter a craft show this year and see if I can actually sell some of my creations, and laid some groundwork for products and supplies.  And I also learned how to recycle sweaters into super-cheap, really good quality, yarn.  Yarn addiction, carry on....
• As I write this, it is just after 9 a.m. Chicago time.  I confirmed with a friend yesterday that I was officially done with my diet as of today, but I have not yet felt compelled to log in and catch up.  I'm sure I will, but this is no longer a driving force in my life.  Go me!!

There are other potential effects of this diet that I would like to have seen in myself.  However, I am satisfied with small steps, and am glad to have the opportunity to reflect back and see some progress.

Gee, I bet I could go a whole year without Facebook....maybe I'll start on January 1!!