I often think how lucky I am to have grown up without the added stress of social media in my teenage years. I honestly can’t even imagine the negative impact that would have had on an already fragile psyche. I was so insecure about my appearance, fitting in, about my role in friend groups. I bring this up because all of those insecurities come rearing back today as I see posts from friends that I was once incredibly close with, that don’t include me. It is just as painful and confusing to me as it must be to our kids when they see themselves excluded from something. Fortunately, I am a 50-year old, self-evolving woman who, although stung by the pain of exclusion, can also rationalize the situation and realize that (as a dear friend tells me) the “season” of those friendships may have passed, and that’s OK.
Since I have started A Path To Hope, I have met and made some incredibly important friendships that I realize I needed to fill a space in my heart and allow me to do this work that I am obviously passionate about and was chosen to do. Many friendships have faded, and I am not sure why, but that is life and I will figure out the reason someday. I do not think I have changed in a negative way but rather I am finding a voice that I didn’t know I had, and I like it!
Our kids, sadly, do not have that perspective yet or know a world without social media. It is our job to help them by trying to understand the world they live in. I will share my experience today to illustrate the example of the impact a simple post can have without that ever being the intention. I will emphasize that the stronger you are with your own self-worth, the easier it is to move on from the temporary self-doubt you feel seeing posts that affect you, for whatever reason.
And that is a gift worth giving!
-Holly