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Writer's pictureS. Nicole

Midlife Unveiled: Navigating the Social Media Maze for Authenticity and Balance

Updated: Oct 3, 2023


computer screen
The pressure to stay connected

Did you know that I have 7 social media accounts? This doesn’t include Medium or my blogs but the main players: Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and YouTube. Both business and personal accounts are on all those platforms except TikTok.


That’s pure insanity!


From the outside looking in, it probably looks like a cry for attention, and to be honest, it is. A plea to gain traction in this god-forsaken digital age in order to find a means to an end!

*exhales*

However, on my to-do list today, I began sorting through and narrowing down my social accounts, but let me share a back story.


Social Media Mayhem

About 2 years ago, I became fascinated with YouTube and saw the fun in making content and sharing my life story as I transitioned from a secluded middle-aged black woman to breaking out and embarking on a new journey. It started out innocent, and I was having fun. However, the turning point came when I hit rock bottom and needed to gain traction and funding relatively quickly. So, I panicked and scrambled, which resulted in a multitude of unstable name changes for my YouTube channel and an array of business ideas that sprawled into other platforms. It spiraled out of control, and now, I guess you could say I got swallowed in the digital facade and wormhole to be liked and seen by random strangers. The hoax and gimmick to build some wild following organically. Well, I’m gonna cut my own digital umbilical cord!


Today, social media is one of the main mental health disrupts for us humans, causing more cases of anxiety, depression, and obsession than any other external toxins. It’s sick, twisted, and the smartest thing to ever have been invented. This wide range of networks, if utilized properly, can also be the key to financial freedom and, with a spin of contradiction, can — in some cases —  brighten mental health.


I guess you’re like, “What in the mixed messages?”



dog watching
confused fluff

As an emotional and mental wellness advocate, I have seen what social media has done to brighten lives and balance financial hardships. I guess that’s why I work so hard at writing. I desire to have that kind of financial freedom, and I’m not ashamed to admit it.


Digital content has given more than thousands of writers and content creators the income to sustain their households as well as giving them the opportunity to experience life in a more harmonious and balanced way. It minimizes the hustle/grind mindset that we have been so ingrained in and accustomed to.


Digital Adjustments

While I’m still on this ride of rediscovery, I have moments when I recognize when I have messed up. But, the great part about making a mess is that you can always clean it up. We get messy, take chances, and make mistakes in this life because duh, we’re human. With that said, I have some readjusting to do regarding my social media input and output.


Number one, I thrive on authentic creativity, so trying to keep up with algorithms trends and hashtags is exhausting. Two, let’s be honest, gaining traction on those popular platforms nowadays takes money and media experts; neither of which I currently have the financial means for. Finally, I miss being in my exploratory element without the weighted social direction. I feel icky and weirdly violated, to say the least!

My creativity is an extension of me not an extension of the algorithm. Social media was beginning to direct my passion and love for sharing my most unicorn self and turning her into someone I didn’t recognize. The purpose of this journey is to discover and stay rooted in my own sunfilled essence, no matter the noise.


Instagram, TikTok, and all the other overly saturated platforms are useful, I will admit but, like anything, they should ultimately help you build your life not ruin it


Until next time readers check out the video "Escaping the Midlife Social Trap: Less is More" for more on this topic.


For more reads and other midlife realness and vulnerability check out Medium and for wellness learning check out the Midlife Discovery page.

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