I was recently able to speak at a virtual summit about mental health and overall wellness. Although the discussion went well, it really got me thinking about how wellness (to me) seems like an overplayed social media joke. And not only does it seem like one, but I seem to be laughing along, just like everyone else.
Don't get me wrong: I take wellness/mental health very seriously. I'm in school studying a form of psychology right now because I'm so passionate about it. And, as someone who's had to bounce back from some a couple of tough spots, I completely understand the importance of avoiding toxicity, being self-aware, and all of the other "wellness staples" that are often highlighted in social media. But when people are throwing the words "toxic" and "energy" around like they're vital sentence components, it's made me step back and think about the way that I approach wellness discussions. Even I had to take a break from constantly reposting infographics on "How to Tell if Your Environment is Toxic." It gets old very fast.
But the truth is, although I love the direction that media is headed with making sure that you check yourself mentally/emotionally before you wreck yourself, I quickly forget that the media likes to pretend that everyone is on the same page. And that can be dangerous if you're not careful. I mean, in my head it sounds ~wholesome and healing~to help my friends and lovingly point out any subconscious trauma that might be affecting the way that they communicate or handle relationships. But it would be hypocritical to ignore the fact that if the same thing were being shoved in my face, I'd probably shout someone's ear off for being so nosy.
Because I am a certified #mediajunkie, I do need to remember that the same stuff that flies over a screen will not work in the real world; but, I do wish that people would actually match their words on the screen with their actions, me included. Wellness is something essential in providing yourself with a nice balance of... well, everything. But as much as I like to talk about it, I can't even get myself to practice wellness. I can't even regularly update my blog, something I'm actually interested in, because I'm so addicted to scrolling a timeline that I forget my hobbies ALSO bring me joy. Y'all thought this was going to be a call-out post? Nah, I'm no better than anyone else. But I will give us all the benefit of the doubt. Miss Rona has really been making me only focus on the things that don't leave me riddled with anxiety about getting sick or unfairly treated because of my skin color. Unfortunately, though, the most instantaneous source of enjoyment just so happens to be a blue bird, pink camera, or yellow ghost.
That's part of the reason that I started writing in the first place. I realized that besides my attention span shrinking dramatically, scrolling on people's stories or on my feed wasn't fulfilling me anymore. I used to love reading and writing, so much so that I preferred it over watching TV. Now? I can barely muster enough interest to read an online article. Hopefully, the more I develop as a writer, the more I'll be encouraged to read and absorb other resources (that AREN'T 280 characters) in order to develop my style a little bit. Until then, I'll start slow by looking at a screen still. Same poison, different brand; it's a work in progress.
Do you feel like you're balancing your life well apart from a screen?