Continuing Building Resilience - Even When It Feels Like the World is Burning
I guess some consolation post regarding the coming end of TikTok in the US
Like any other TikTok user, my mind has been a bit of a reeling state as we continue to inch closer to the shut down of TikTok US this Sunday. My feed being bombarded with sadness (of people who’s main access to the rest of the world in a meaningful way), anger (of those who’s frustration that this is occurring in the first place and how it was handled), fear (for those who have come to rely on it as a form of income), confusion (where do we go next? Oh no don’t go there. Go HERE.), and as well delusion (the “come on guys they won’t actually do it……. will they?”).
Though I am a bit saddened, I’ve learned a ton from TikTok, in truth it’s been my main tool of coping when my C-PTSD gets to be too much and I need to dissociate for a period of time. But I will also admit that it has been a bit of a distraction. I haven’t posted anything about it both on the app or anywhere else really, because I wanted to take the time to really consider my actual relationship with social media, especially in the wake of news like getting rid of fact-checking teams and videos like how quickly you hit alt-right content on platforms like YouTube.
A few weeks ago, I did write a post about ways I’m planning on building resilience through the years to come. This post will be a sort of extension there with my hopes of how I want to address social media in the future. And in true millennial form…. it’s a list.
Keep working on focusing on my health. It was something I focused on pretty heavily up until midway through the year and then my stress levels spiked and in me not coping well. . . kinda lost the plot.
Continue to build on my personal data security practices. This was something I was starting to have as a bit of a hyperfocus back in 2020 (long story why for later) and with coming into higher awareness about how much the main stream social media apps actually control my data and how frequently we are seeing them being attacked or hacked into, it may be a good idea to get back into it. (Long list coming eventually)
Remove myself from Meta based social media and start looking into more decentralized platforms like Pixelfed or Mastadon. (Don’t worry Substack you’ll still be on the good list for now.) For the most part, though I have Meta profiles that I created back in high school, I don’t post on them and just haven’t gotten around to taking things like my old pictures off of it. And on the other hand I stopped posting on them entirely as I got really tired of my family actively twisting and warping anything I post on there to be something hurtful I am passive aggressively posting about them. Y’all I just really like existential crisis memes and to comment about my life once in a while without it somehow getting back to my abuser who I’m in no contact with. Just let me scream into the void once in a while without being manipulated into apologizing to my estranged family member who was an active participant in my trauma.
Touch base with the people I actually want to keep up with about me leaving those platforms and how to get into contact with me from there. I do love a good Discord channel 😉
Read like I used to. Growing up I was pretty hyperlexic and I used to do reading marathons as part of my old blogs. I miss it and my TBR is wayyy too long. Plus I do enjoy writing out my Library Submissions posts. Which if you want to support the Substack you can always buy me a book!
I’ll keep trying to stay informed, primarily through independent journalist publications like ProPublica, Associated Press, and journalists on Substack. While still making sure I’m utilizing critical thinking and discernment.
Keep trying to find and build community where I can. Working remote can be lonely, but also I’ll be moving to a new state, so finding a community where I am will be more important than ever.
And finally. Keep trying to take care of myself, studying, and doing my job the best I can. Because life does still have to go on.
Let me know some ways you’re building up some resilience lately?