Checking OUT of Facebook to focus on self?

missxlaur
missxlaur Posts: 286
in Motivation and Support
Have any of you ever tried checking out from Facebook for a while to focus on yourself? Does it help your self image? I feel like often I get wrapped up in looking at all the "perfect" pictures of friends from college or high school, even though I rationally know that not everyone can that amount of perfect pictures all the time, and end up feeling a bit down about myself. Does checking out for a while help?
«1

Replies

  • UsedToBeHusky
    UsedToBeHusky Posts: 15,228 Member
    Actually, I don't find the pictures of my friends from school to be perfect. Most are overweight and look pretty rough. I think if you think it will help you then you should. But might I also suggest talking to someone. If you feel so dissatisfied with life that you compare it to your friend's lives often, then there might be a problem.

    I could be way off base, but that's just my take on things.
  • hunkycanuck
    hunkycanuck Posts: 60 Member
    I have taken two major vacations from Facebook to focus on myself. I found it to be very beneficial to log off for this past summer and live my life. I went back on after the summer and felt like I didn't have to go on it as much and really was able to take a step back from it and see it for what it was.
  • FelicityEliza36
    FelicityEliza36 Posts: 252 Member
    No. Instead Facebook has HELPED me to focus on myself LOL

    I created a fan page to help me along my journey to being healthier and losing weight and to help motivate others.
    It also has helped me to network with other people, check out products I didnt know about... etc...


    Check it out if you are interested - http://facebook.com/fabulousanddfit
  • anewlife4me8610
    anewlife4me8610 Posts: 91 Member
    I have to stay off facebook, Sometimes it is just too much TMI you know? But I do log in occasionally to say hello to friends...but like the last few days with all the shootings and sadness, I have had to just stay away.
  • Swissmiss
    Swissmiss Posts: 8,754 Member
    I very seldom visit Facebook. MFP has become my social network. But, I did notice that the people I had as friends, that went to school with me, had not changed. I still feel that I am not included.
  • NCchar130
    NCchar130 Posts: 955 Member
    Have any of you ever tried checking out from Facebook for a while to focus on yourself? Does it help your self image? I feel like often I get wrapped up in looking at all the "perfect" pictures of friends from college or high school, even though I rationally know that not everyone can that amount of perfect pictures all the time, and end up feeling a bit down about myself. Does checking out for a while help?

    I say YES!! I quit for two weeks back in February to see how that would feel. Then deactivated it altogether about a month later. I haven't regretted it for a second! I was obsessed with checking it on my phone, computer, etc, but found that it didn't actually 'reconnect' me to anyone from my past. And it was hard not to compare myself to others. I have done some amazing things in my life since leaving; I think leaving might have been part of it.
  • BeeElMarvin
    BeeElMarvin Posts: 2,086 Member
    no
  • KariAnn_09
    KariAnn_09 Posts: 19
    I really like this thought. I have been finding my self compulsively checking FB lately and it is a complete waste of time (when done to excess). There are just so many other much more worthy things to spend my time on. I'm considering taking a whole week off from FB. This will be quite the task for me, but I agree with NCchar130 that I don't feel very "reconnected" with people. If anything, I feel more disconnected than ever with FB. I miss phone calls, in person chats, and even email letters! Has anyone had positive experiences with FB vacations that they'd like to share?
  • TVISmith
    TVISmith Posts: 28 Member
    I really like this thought. I have been finding my self compulsively checking FB lately and it is a complete waste of time (when done to excess). There are just so many other much more worthy things to spend my time on. I'm considering taking a whole week off from FB. This will be quite the task for me, but I agree with NCchar130 that I don't feel very "reconnected" with people. If anything, I feel more disconnected than ever with FB. I miss phone calls, in person chats, and even email letters! Has anyone had positive experiences with FB vacations that they'd like to share?

    YES! This whole generation and the one we are raising are crazy about the social connection....yet they never learn how to really socialize with people...real people not a keyboard all the time!
  • _skittybang
    _skittybang Posts: 970 Member
    I did check out of here a while back and it was actually really good for me. I got a lot accomplished that needed to get done & even made huge strides in my position at work. Problem is I'm a very VERY social creature and wandered back.

    I am toying with the idea of a complete check-out across the webtastic board - for me, there's just so much more out there that I need to do, to see, to help, to just be present.

    (Also my work set all search filters to the super-safe setting and without my gifs, I'm useless :tongue: )
  • missxlaur
    missxlaur Posts: 286
    WOW thank you so much for all of your responses.

    In response to one of the harsher comments, I am not "so dissatisfied with my life" that I feel the need to constantly look at other people's pictures. In fact, I am quite satisfied, even happy with my life. In browsing FB and seeing friends and such pop up, I just found that sometimes I felt more self-conscious than self-confident. I agree with many of the posts too that I'm not actually feeling any more reconnected, but often more disconnected.

    I definitely think I am going to focus on having MFP be my main social network for now - such positive social support, and overall such a healthy environment.
  • smittybuilt19
    smittybuilt19 Posts: 955 Member
    Checking out of Facebook is an excellent idea! My wife and I did that about a year ago and it has done wonders for our relationship. As far as self image, I guess it has helped, I've never really compared my looks to others, not sure if that has anything to do with being a male or not. It is nice however, to be able to look back at pictures from when I was using Facebook and see a 47 lb. difference.
  • nikilis
    nikilis Posts: 2,305 Member
    facebook is what you do when you should be living your life.

    f^£k That.
  • smittybuilt19
    smittybuilt19 Posts: 955 Member
    facebook is what you do when you should be living your life.

    f^£k That.

    True ^^
  • Jtorres326
    Jtorres326 Posts: 157 Member
    I deleted my facebook earlier this year because I became tired of constant negativity being posted by my friends. It was a rude awakening as many of my "friends" admitted that they hadn't even noticed that I'd deleted my profile. Needless to say, my circle of actual friends is now smaller and more fulfilling. Best thing I've done in a long time.
  • Amberonamission
    Amberonamission Posts: 836 Member
    Being older it is a gift. We are ALL imperfect now. I get so inspired by my old friends who are fighting this aging thing.
  • vjohn04
    vjohn04 Posts: 2,276 Member
    Deactivated my account a week and a half ago....
  • elprincipito
    elprincipito Posts: 1,200 Member
    i don't like pics of me being uploaded lawl...
  • crystalflame
    crystalflame Posts: 1,049 Member
    I stopped using Facebook. Everything on it just made me frustrated, whether it was wedding photos or political rants or bad spelling (ok, can't escape that one ANYWHERE, but still). It's nice to not worry about the minutiae in someone else's life that has zero impact on mine.
  • sam308lbs
    sam308lbs Posts: 1,936 Member
    I understand where u coming from..i feel unnecessary pressure to post holiday trips and have great clicks taken all the time.I even started questioning myself when one of my friends would go abroad or another one bought a car or even when someone got a hot girlfriend.Needless to say i stopped going there and have redirected my energies to mfp for a while now :).I am learning a lot and getting fit at the same time.Awesome!
  • Elma1975
    Elma1975 Posts: 58
    Yes I have and yes it helps.
    Facebook is full of fake.
    I haven´t set a status or commented for almost a month now on FB and it´s like I don´t exist, my friends couldn´t care less because they are too busy bragging about their perfect lifes, their spouses, their children, their creativity....etc.
    Who needs to be put down by some fakebook? Not me, my confident is so much better when I stay away from fakebook and I think I will keep it that way.
  • RunsOnEspresso
    RunsOnEspresso Posts: 3,218 Member
    I've taken breaks from social media before. Not for the reasons you listed but just because I got tired of reading some of the crap that is spewed on Facebook and Twitter.

    Breaks have always felt good. And no one ever seems to notice. I was not on twitter for like 3+ months and only one of my followers said anything.
  • ChunkieNuts
    ChunkieNuts Posts: 135 Member
    I de-activated my account a few years ago, best choice i made. I dont miss it at all!
  • nikilis
    nikilis Posts: 2,305 Member
    facebook is what you do when you should be living your life.

    f^£k That.

    True ^^

    in the end:

    since when did everyone need to know what everyone thinks. most people are idiots. we already know that.

    I dont really have time to create my own press releases and wait for approval of my life.

    if it was cool, you know it was cool. if it was epic, you probably wouldn't need to take pictures of it and post it, because you would get enough gratification from living to not give a fkkk.

    the only time it is productive to be on facebook is on the toilet, because then you are synchronizing the creation of *kitten*.
  • lukester19
    lukester19 Posts: 72 Member
    Well I deactivated my account about half a year ago. But when I was off facebook I realized something. It is not facebook that had a effect on me, but my perception of facebook. Facebook is just a tool, and I chose to think certain thoughts about certain people. Once I altered my thoughts the experience of my life changed accordingly. Now I don't use it since it has freed up a lot of my time to do other things in life I love. I still have my cell phone, email and text messaging so life is good. If I did not deactivate my account I probably would not have self realized how my thoughts affect me in life and why I was comparing myself to others.

    I love this quote i heard somewhere, "change the way you look at things, and the things you look at change!"
  • cortezpj
    cortezpj Posts: 129 Member
    I deleted my facebook earlier this year because I became tired of constant negativity being posted by my friends. It was a rude awakening as many of my "friends" admitted that they hadn't even noticed that I'd deleted my profile. Needless to say, my circle of actual friends is now smaller and more fulfilling. Best thing I've done in a long time.

    If there was a "Like" button in MFP (which thankfully there isn't) I'd really 'LIKE" this comment.
  • florymonde
    florymonde Posts: 261 Member
    I did cut back a lot recently; I installed LeechBlock (add-on with Firefox) to limit when and how long I could be on facebook and blogs. It's helped with my productivity, and broken the habit of checking it all the time. But I still find facebook a convenient way to keep in touch with people.
  • SquishyVicki
    SquishyVicki Posts: 280 Member
    I've thought a few times about deleting my account but I find it just a great, cheap way of keeping in contact with friends who are now all over the world. I use it more to keep in touch with people I do not want to loose contact with rather than to reconnect.

    My phone died a month or so ago and since then have had no social media (FB / Twitter / Instagram / MFP / Tumblr....damn the list is long *blushes*) and it has been liberating. MFP is the only one I have keep online with via a computer (when I can) and I have found that is because it serves a functional use as well as social.

    My new sim arrives this week and will I delete any accounts?? No, probably not as I do use them and they do serve a purpose but will I check it everyday? No; I can honestly say I won't. The urge to constantly have a look through news feeds is long gone and I am enjoying the time focusing on enjoying experiences rather than thinking of ways to articulate about it.

    MFP and Tumblr will definately stay though as I find them to be powerful tools to keep me focused rather than distracting me but admittedly; at times it is a very fine line!!! :smile:
  • reasnableblonde
    reasnableblonde Posts: 212 Member
    Yes. I did this recently... partly to focus on myself, partly to force myself into better communication with people, and partly because it was before the election and I was tired of the rampant political posts.

    It helped immensely, and although I'm back on there again because I'm posting pictures I've taken of family events (to share with other members of the family far and near), I'm not checking it so frequently and am not comparing myself to the all the perfect little snowflakes from my high school class.
  • ahviendha
    ahviendha Posts: 1,291 Member
    i deleted my facebook last summer. while i miss seeing updates on my friends, i don't miss the reminder that those "friends" never called, never asked how i was doing.

    i have more time to focus on myself, & my true buddies!

    also FB just encourages you to whine and moan about how other peoples lives seem better, when really people are quite good at making themselves look different online than in real life.

Categories