About Face? [Cringe]

Alright...It's been close to a week without my PERSONAL social media accounts. At first I had deleted everything. I uploaded a podcast episode about deleting social media. Then immediately I walked back my full deletion, undeleting my music accounts...then re-deleting my music accounts. (@therockingchads; @reubensinnemamusic) Ultimately I undeleted them yet again!

What I had not anticipated: First, I had some real and meaningful conversations about social media with some good friends and close family members. Second, If you don't have a social media presence on at least one platform, you miss gigs, musically speaking. That is, shows you may want to see AND shows you could potentially play, if you're a musician. Case in point: Last night I worked the merch table at a Jacob Rountree show where I made some helpful musical connections!

This gets to a great conversation I had with my cousin Wes. He told me exactly why he's on Facebook: To connect with relatives and for his personal drum business. That led me to a valuable conclusion which was helpful for me: I do better on social media when I'm promoting a "thing" rather than myself. Now, musicians are self-promoters--it comes with the territory--but I found out my real issue was with my personal accounts. I'm choosing to block the pathway Facebook paves into my life.

As a ministry person, I work with people. I'm always with people. I'm a public person. It's part of the job and I love it! But it can be exhausting. I'm often in front of people, groups, in meetings. But, I know my people and I love my people--that is my church people. I have found it is most healthy for me to focus on those who are actually in my life. My personal social media accounts made made me accessible in uncomfortable ways. Already being a public person, I have realized I don't want to be a public (church) public (shows) public (personal social media) person. That's too many publics. My "personal accounts" also seemed to force me to do ministry work when I was supposed to be enjoying family and downtime. I use the word "force" but I allowed it to do what it did through an increasing lack of discipline and boundaries. 

I decided I'd rather eliminate those accounts than try to exercise moderation with them. They're gone. There are things I miss about them but they're gone nonetheless.

So, I believe I've found a healthy moderating position. I'm keeping my musical accounts (instagram) and losing my personal ones. I'd rather promote a thing (music) than myself (self, person). I'd rather promote art than pursue likes. Of course it is nice to see when someone notices a new musical release and "likes" it. But I'm there to disseminate art, not personal information, and there is a difference. Now, I just need to have some discipline. (Thank you Wes!)

More down the road! I'm going to knock out this social media deletion/moderation topic in one more post and then move on to some other stuff. There are so many more things to talk about!

UPCOMING: A podcast where I talk with some local concert staffers about just that--working concerts. I met some great folks working the last show! It seemed obvious that we ought to record a podcast together. Between then and now, there'll be more episodes. I love podcasting! Maybe I'll just turn on a mic tomorrow and see what happens.