Heavy to Moderate
Day Nine of my master cleanse and I've conquered the psychological triggers of hunger while finally gaining a sense of clarity. It took longer than I anticipated but I'm there. I'm still hungry, but I use those physiological prompts to eat as reminders of why I'm going through this process. It isn't about weight loss as much as it's about mental dexterity and spiritual focus. I needed to enter this year with more of the aforementioned and this process has facilitated that.
One revelation is my immediate need to re-configure my online presence. I manage a plethora of websites to support my music, podcasting and photography -- but those only require weekly, if not monthly maintenance. There's also the addition of DJ Markus Gramm that brings me a new kind of fulfillment (e.g., it's fun and easy to do).
The social media aspect is in need of a significant reduction because I'm displeased with the perception it has created. I've already toned down my Facebook usage considerably -- using it mainly for a link sharing tool and occasional shout out to people from previous lifetimes. I use Twitter to capture thoughts I would otherwise forget throughout the course of the day. I also interact with fellow musicians, podcasters and writers in addition to promoting my own online endeavors. There are also times when I just tweet outlandish musings because I can 
I have a strong desire to redirect my online/social media focus, thereby altering the quality of my presence. 80% of my adult interaction is a derivative of my online persona. And although I think I have a positive image, I think my frequent appearance gives the impression that I live online, when in fact, I have a very active analog life as well. It's been during this cleanse and overall "new year" environment that has made me evaluate and conclude:
- People use social media to "monitor" others (I personally think that's no bueno)
- My inner circle will reach out to me via Twitter BEFORE calling my phone
- If I go "off the grid" for a few hours, it's a big phenomenon
I blame myself for creating this perception -- but with that responsibility comes the power to change it. I don't forsee the quantity of my time in front of a screen being reduced significantly, but I'm already starting to increase the quality of what I do and how I am portrayed online.
Once upon a time, I had a very robust life full of dynamic people, events and journeys that didn't include my computer and/or laptop. Having an online presence should be an enhancement to that lifestyle and not a replacement. It is for those reasons, that I'm changing my online/social media activity from heavy to moderate.
Until next time.
