Remember when social media first started? Many of us were excited to reconnect with people again for the first time. We had the chance to reunite with them casually and forever. Most of the initial reconnections were great nostalgia; in some cases, they were essential.
Then came the next rounds of reconnections. Connections ranging from being fun to realizing you actually forgot they existed. But since social media makes it easy to connect forever, why not!? Well, life’s not meant to know everyone forever, and it’s beneficial.
Recently when going through my phone, I saw the range of these connections within my contacts. Seeing them, I realized another essential for our relationships in our lives. One that helps us let go of the past.
As we mature through life, we meet new people who benefit our lives better than in our past. Social media’s ability to reconnect with everyone isn’t always a benefit; it can be a curse.
We don’t need contact with everyone from our whole life. Doing so can cause us to regret the past too much. We might neglect the present with the quality people who are now in our life. At worst, we might miss opportunities for future connections. Therefore, we should let go of the need to amass a significant social media connection.
Like anything, context is vital; no number is the same for everyone. One number might be too large or too small for another. Instead, focus on quality. Maintain quality relationships from your past, focus on quality relationships in your present, and cultivate quality relationships for your future. Let quality than quantity be the filter for your social media contacts.
With a little trial and error, only you know how that looks. As you figure the balance out, enjoy the freedom and depth social media, and conventional relationship tools afford.
