Leo Babauta: Life without Facebook

Editor Layfhakera Glory Baranskii, more than six months ago wrote an article "Why do I no longer actively use social networks", Which caused a very violent and controversial. Article renouncing Twitter «Adam Bralt, creator & yet:« What I realized when a month declined from Twitter "also enjoyed quite popular.

Subject complete rejection of social networks, or restricting access to it is gaining momentum. And another man decided to give up Facebook. In an article by Leo Babauta shares his impressions after 17 months without the network.

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I walked away from Facebook because I wanted to live deliberately.

Seventeen months ago I deleted my account to Facebook. I not just disable it and completely removed and felt a huge relief.

No longer need to check for updates, to deal with a friend request (whether I'm interested in the thought of this man? And I want him to read my tape?), Writing about everything that happens in my life, the curve of inappropriate posts, listen to those who want to promote your business or personal interests to see that someone is playing Farmville, read about someone than dinner or some evening students going to go, view funny pictures and worry about how many people layknet my photo or a new post... and so on up infinity.

This does not detract from the fact that others do, but it makes one think about all the noise that accumulates during our total immersion in social networks.

Saving

Living in a world without Facebook - this is a very interesting experience. Of course, I'm not the only one. Some, too, have gone out completely, while others have never been there and never will.

I no longer in constant communication with relatives who are away from me at a distance of half the world. All important news I get an e-mail or by phone. Yes, some small interesting details will be lost, but with them I will be spared the details, which are not quite interested. And based on my experience, the noise drowns out on Facebook these little interesting to me about the details in the ratio of 10 to 1.

Now my day is calmer. I focus on the more thoughtful things. I still use Twitter and Google+ to publish their posts, but I do it occasionally and do not check them more often than once a day. Instead, I'm writing. I read long articles or novels. I walk and play sports. I play with my kids and spend time with his wife. I am learning new things.

I still have the opportunity to share their lives without the help of Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest or Whatsapp (the last three I've never used). I extend my thoughts with this blog, through random article on my home site that I had created and posted. Host your own website is not too difficult for those who find it difficult to understand all of these technical the complexity, there are many simple and free platform for hosting blogs and expression there their thoughts.

I still can collaborate with others. I have some colleagues with whom I correspond, and consult by e-mail, and with whom I I work on a regular basis (we used to use these collaboration tools like Google Docs). I talk with people one on one via Skype or Google+ hangouts. I'm not alone and without the intensive use of social networks. I just use a variety of tools to work with others and to express themselves.

Privacy

We - social creatures, so it is not surprising that we are looking for online communication. But this is a very superficial communication, with comments "here" and "here", huskies and maybe a few messages to those with whom we are close. This communication is not enough saturation joint tea party, or exercise, or walking in the park.

We are talking. But if we are afraid of loneliness?

Is there something frightening in an empty mailbox? Are we bored to death without checking Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Tumblr and other social sites?

Can we switch off and be alone with the fear of being alone, without distractions, without anything except those things that we want to create?

Try to live without it at least one day. Try one day not to go to Facebook and other social sites that you've visited on a regular basis. A day without e-mail and instant messaging. Disconnect and easily create, hesitate, take notes, sketches, think, walk, sit alone and meditate, read a book.

This retreat can be intimidating, but with practice you will learn to be companions to themselves, realizing that it is better not to find a company. This is a valuable lesson.

Output

When we give up Facebook, we are missing social connections, news that happen with our friends, family and colleagues. We are no longer in tune with the rest of the world. This means that we are focused on the march to the beat of our own drum to adjust it under our own pitch or come up with the rhythm and the reason for our lives.

This is a difficult task. It is much easier to be an antelope, which follow the herd. Move when everyone else moved, instead of insisting on his own, find their own way and be afraid of being eaten by a lion. And as well as antelope, spend some time in solitude and see what happens. Silence tends to tell you that the noise was not necessary. And that other antelope, too, do not know what they do. They all run in one thoughtlessly headed herd, which carries us along, without thinking or conscious direction.

This is very useful - to learn how to insist on. The realization that you can so, gives strength. In the knowledge that you can disconnect the connection with the other, even for one or two days, and to find their own voice, to choose their own path, listen to their ideas and their own adviser, and still be all right, do not feel any discomfort - this is the real power.

In the song «Cheers» says that following his own path in our world today takes us all. Perhaps it would be too difficult and you would prefer to return to a familiar and comfortable checking social networks. But the result is worth it to give all that is, and build your own path. The way in which you go on your own, is worth it to sell your soul. You feel your feet land, fresh air of the virgin lands around you and your own voice as a company. It's worth all that you have.

I went to the woods because I wanted to live deliberately, to see only the most important facts of life. And I see that I am not learned what ought to learn. And not when the time will come to die, and I understand that, and not live.
Henry David Thoreau