If you have been following my posts this month you may be surprised to see something that is not part of the #AprilLove2018 photo challenge. Or you might be surprised that you haven’t heard anything from me online for a couple of days.
When I began the photo challenge at the beginning of April I was in need of something to distract me from the seemingly endless winter we experienced this year in Minneapolis. With a blizzard mid-April it seemed that spring was never going to arrive.
At the outset I decided to do the photo challenge so long as it brought me joy. At first I had fun thinking about how to create a photograph for each photo prompt of the challenge and I found joy in creating each day.
But as the days passed I noticed that I was spending more and more time on social media each day. Between posting on Facebook and Instagram and writing and posting a blog post each day I spent a lot of time looking at and responding to social media. I began to notice the little dopamine hits in my brain each time a post got a “like” or comment and I realized that the activities were no longer bringing me authentic joy.
It felt like I was creating for an audience rather than bringing out what was authentically me.
And it didn’t bring me authentic joy.
Authentic Joy
Social media is designed to be addictive and rewarding. It’s a conundrum for those trying to build an artistic following or a small business because it appears to be the cheapest and easiest way to connect with those who value what we create.
Posting on social media is supposed to help us connect with our people. I’m beginning to question that premise more and more. The likes you get online do not translate into real connection. They train us to value tiny dopamine hits in our brains but they do not create authentic or sustainable connection.
I choose to focus on authentic joy. Usually I do not experience authentic joy on social media.
The photo challenge word a couple of days ago was nourish. When I thought about what nourished me, I realized that the best way I could nourish myself that day was to refrain from posting on social media and to take a break from even looking at social media other than posting my weekly blog post on my Facebook business page.
It felt so good to me that I decided to opt out of the rest of the April photo challenges and to refocus on other photography projects that I’m currently working on.
Discerning the things that bring me joy and the things that do not bring me joy is a constant challenge.
One of the ways that I regularly nourish myself and experience authentic joy is to spend time in nature. Thankfully the weather is warming in Minnesota and spring has begun to arrive. This makes it easier for me to prioritize time outdoors in nature.
As I write this I am sitting on my deck basking in sunlight with a slight breeze caressing my bare arms. The shallow ends of the pond behind our house are finally ice-free while the rest of the pond is still coated with ice. All of the snow has melted off the deck and the backyard is mostly clear of snow. Robins search the awakening grass for insects and seeds. Bare tree limbs stand out against the sky.
Prayer flags hanging from the deck rail are moving in the breeze. The winter winds have frayed the edges and colorful strings of thread at their edges dance in the breeze.
This is real. It is what brings me joy. This is where I want to spend my time.
What brings you joy? Where do you want to spend your time?
May you walk in beauty.
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