Dear Social Media, I’m sorry I suck at you.

Last week I scientifically explained why I would start posting other people’s content besides my own. And I didn’t mean post other people’s work on the blog, I meant across the rest of the social networking landscape. But now, I feel like I need to explain myself MUCH FURTHER about why that is actually a daunting task for me.

When I started writing this blog post, it was a full-fledged rant about how I suck at (and therefore hate) social media. My main points were the following:

• I’m too precious with social media. I over-think it far, far too much. I write and re-write a facebook status update like 50 times (and according to Mashable 71% of all facebook users self-censor too!). I think about tweets for days, and ultimately never send them because I don’t think they are funny enough.

• To be fair I do work a full-time job that I love and happens to have very long hours. But at the end of the day, that is just an excuse for not doing the social media thing because it just doesn’t come naturally to me and I’m not comfortable with it.

• I am a woman of MANY, not few words. (and hence am very jealous of all the amazing writers out there that can say it much more precisely than I can).

But I would like to morph this post into less of a pathetic rant and more of an homage to the social media mavericks and mavens that I really admire, who I look up to everyday with their witty statuses, always-interesting links, and stunning ‘grams…and one day who I hope to grow up and become (full disclosure: some of these people are my best buds in the world, others are famous people that I think WOULD be my best friends if we ever met in person).

TWITTER:
Lizzy Karp – Spanning across different interests and fields, she is truly the master of this domain.
ANY comedian (because as Paula Pell says, “twitter is a video game for comedians”) – I therefore think us normal people should not compare ourselves to them or attempt to be them.

FACEBOOK:
Daniel Zomparelli – He’s a poet so this is not surprising, but he always knows what to say and just how to say it.
The Pullman sisters: Emma and Sarah – They somehow both find a way to post about personal and professional matters and it never feels out of place.

INSTAGRAM:
Jill Barber – I simultaneously want to live vicariously through Jill but also find her photos effortlessly stunning and relate-able.
Grace Partridge – A graphic designer that has an eye for beautiful things, but also the wit to go with it.

PINTEREST:
Poppytalk – The Queen of Curating.
Anette of SemiDomesticated – Because she has boards like “Pirates and Mermaids”.

BLOGGING:
A Cup of Jo – I literally feel like she is writing to ME every single day. Sometimes its shocking.
Pinecone Camp – What every blog should have – gorgeous photos. SWOON!
The Compost Cook – Meghan is the one who inspired me to start this blog. Her CONSISTENCY  and thoughtfulness is truly amazing, especially when I know how insanely busy her life is!

But what do us over-thinker, non-social-media-confident, types do? How do we make something second nature to us that just isn’t?

Words of wisdom like these from Alain de Botton have helped me: For paranoia about ‘what other people think’ : remember that only some hate, a very few love – and almost all just don’t care.

But articles like THIS do not [no pressure – just the status updates you write on Facebook are the most important writing you do].

So I’m here on my corner of the internet just to say that I AM TRYING. I will try to NOT GIVE SUCH A SHIT and just post/tweet/update my status, but just keep in mind that ultimately I DO give a shit and I find building an “online persona” of me one of the strangest things of all time.

But I will continue to take lessons from the ones I think do it best because ultimately I think it is a really important and effective way to hone ones writing skills, engage in a community, and support people and projects I admire. So I’ll try to cut the bull shit, and give it my all. I’ll strive to be interesting and thoughtful, yet not over self-promoting or bragging. I’ll aim to have the right ratio of laughs, links, and sass, and if I am straying, please tell me!

GOT ANY TIPS on how to not suck at social media or become more comfortable with it? I’m all ears!

PS. If you want to follow my social media attempts:

Tweeter (Lbercovitch and/or Grown-Up Party)

Fbook

‘Gramming

Proof that I sit at a computer and TRY to tweet. Look how hard I’m concentrating!

[Photo credit above: I’m not sure! I found it on the interwebz. If you know please email me at laurenbercovitch@gmail.com]