My Dear AfriKin,
I am not certain who needs to hear this but Spirit has led me to share this end of year message with you. As the year draws to a close, it's time to reflect on how social media has not just connected us but also shaped our perceptions and behaviors. In this digital era, where likes, shares, and follows often dictate our sense of self-worth, there's a growing need to pause and ponder. Are we truly nurturing our authentic selves, or are we lost in the echo chambers of the online world?
The Social Media Echo Chamber
Social media, a tool designed to bring us together, often ends up polarizing us. We find ourselves in virtual echo chambers, surrounded by voices that echo our thoughts, reaffirming our beliefs, and rarely challenging our perspectives. This reinforcement might feel comforting, but it limits personal growth and critical thinking, leaving us vulnerable to misinformation and one-dimensional viewpoints.
Social Media as Therapy: A Double-Edged Sword
Many have turned to social media for solace and support, transforming platforms into makeshift therapy sessions. While these spaces offer a semblance of community and understanding, they are fraught with the dangers of over-reliance and lack of professional guidance. The virtual hugs and affirmations, though well-intentioned, cannot replace the nuanced care of mental health professionals.
The Illusion of Knowledge: Misjudging Others Online
Online platforms encourage us to form quick opinions about others based on their curated feeds. But these snapshots are just fragments of a person's true self. When we assume to know someone based on their online activity, we risk overlooking the complexity and depth inherent in every individual.
The Call for Introspection and Authenticity
This brings us to a vital crossroad: the choice between external validation and inner wisdom. As we stand on the threshold of a new year, let's turn inwards. Our intuition, often drowned out by the cacophony of social media, is a guide towards decisions that resonate with our deepest values. Knowing oneself is not just liberating but empowering.
Emotional Intelligence and Real-World Interactions
The contrast between online emotional intelligence and real-world behaviors is stark. Social media platforms, which often reward performative empathy, fail to capture the essence of true emotional maturity. This new year, let's seek to bridge this gap, nurturing real-world interactions and relationships that reflect our true emotional depth.
The New Year's Resolution: Finding Quiet Strength
As we bid farewell to this year, our resolution should be to find our quiet strength. This means embracing moments of solitude for introspection, saying 'no' when necessary, and stepping away from drama. It's about recognizing that living in one's head, away from the incessant noise of social media, can be a superpower. Trust the whisper of your inner voice!
Social media is entertainment and truly private people use it for just that. Stop thinking you know someone or have figured out someone because you think you have found nuggets in social shares or blogs that resonate with your idea of them and now you find yourself with your mental pen connecting dots. Truly troubling...
Leave People Where They Are, Accept Situations for What They Are, And Not Every Action Needs A Reaction
I have seen why society is on a decline and mental health is on a rise. People need to spend more time quietly soul searching. I have listened to many tell me how they dislike that I don’t talk. Please note, I dislike that people talk so much. Is one wrong and the other right. Who knows or who care’s... I don’t. Then there is this talk about emotional intelligence. I have witnessed some very intelligent people that I have had the utmost respect for do some of the dumbest things ever and think they have secrets. Man, over time my respect for them has continue to diminish as they did not respect themselves.
With that being said I have also found myself in foreign spaces arguing with people unnecessarily, things I never did before. Things that serve no purpose that I am working my way back to. For this new cycle I pray we all remember who we are, and that we come to peace with it. As mentioned above please take it in, quiet strength is a super power. Living in your head is a super power. Staying away from drama is a super power. Saying NO is a super power. Knowing oneself is the greatest superpower of all. Don’t allow people to step to you regurgitating rhetoric they heard, saw or read somewhere. When people step to you let them step correct. Respect is not asked it is demanded! And where it is non existent make sure your absence is in alignment. Life is that simple.
There is a Huge Difference Between Being Kind, Loving and Agreeable
Remember the truth can be offensive to those not ready to live in theirs. Let them be. Send them love and live in love. Life is short. Allow them them their hamster wheels and let them spin, and you be the best you can be and as Shakespeare so eloquently said "all the world's a stage" and this is the greatest one that we’re on. Give them all the show they signed up for. But remember when that curtain falls, give thanks and do your best to get home safely to those that matter wherever they may be and quietly relax into your refuge to those that value the truth you all share quietly and peacefully. Let no one into that safe space, not social media, not friends, not family. It is a space meant solely for you and them.
In a world where social media often dictates the narrative, finding and holding onto our truth can be a radical act. As we enter the new year, let's commit to authenticity, to understanding the limitations of the digital world, and to cherishing the profound connections and truths that exist beyond the screen.
Discipline is the Strongest Form of Self-Love
My AfriKin for 2024 make your circle smaller. Becoming the best version of yourself comes with a lot of goodbyes. Make 2024 more beautiful and more private. Those that want to live out loud what should be private moments, those that secretly desire to be on stage and never figured out how to get there. Share with them some pointers and help them the best you can on ways to get on the stage as you exit stage left and point your wagon in the opposite direction to the sunset with those that were waiting at home for that show to end and the most meaningful and memorable one to begin.
Here's to a year of introspection, genuine relationships, and a life lived true to ourselves. In this journey of self-discovery, we don't just find peace; we find a resilience that resonates through every aspect of our lives. Let's make 2024 a year of quiet strength, personal growth, and authentic joy. I have an amazing year of programming planned for AfriKin. By the God's Grace I pray I am granted the opportunity to express this vision for you to enjoy. Always know I do it for the love of my kin and my culture.
With love at my core always thank you for an amazing 2023 of entertaining moments and loving memories. Look forward to being even more entertaining next go round.
Gratitude and grace,
Alfonso
