🌸 The joys and bewilderments of trying out social media in my 70s—Finding the right distance from social media after becoming a 'creator'

This is Mari.

I never imagined there would come a day when I would be posting on social media.
Until recently, I was convinced that social media was for young people.

However, after turning 70, I encountered ChatGPT, and there was a moment when I thought,
“Maybe I can do this too.”
When I finally took the plunge, I found more 'realizations' than I had imagined.

Today, I would like to honestly write about the
“joys and bewilderments” I have felt since encountering social media.

🌿 Joy #1: Connecting with a new world

The thing that made me happiest through social media was
“meeting people who are working just as hard as I am.”

I learned that there are so many different kinds of people I would never meet in my daily life.

Especially now, as I have returned to my parents' home in Kagoshima to care for my 97-year-old mother, I am far from my friends and have been struggling with the feeling that
“my world is small.”

When people told me through comments and messages, “I feel the same way” or “I empathize with you,” I felt the warmth of

“there being a person on the other side of the screen.”

In particular, interacting with people who use ChatGPT was refreshing. Even if our ages and positions are different,

the desire to “learn” and “take on challenges” is something we share.

Thanks to social media, I feel like I have met “friends” somewhere out there in the world.

🌷 Joy #2: Finding my own voice

Before I started social media, I often worried about
“what I should post.”

But as I wrote little by little, I began to see
“my own voice.”

Not to be told by someone that I am “amazing”, but
to honestly convey, “This is how I feel right now.”

There are moments when just doing that makes my heart feel lighter.

Social media might not just be for posting, but also
“a place to look back at myself.”

🍃 Bewilderment #1: The feeling of comparing myself

When I first started using social media, I couldn't help but worry about the number of “likes” and followers I had.

I would see someone else's post and feel depressed, thinking, “I'm still not good enough...”, or get anxious, wondering,
“How can I get more people to see my posts?”

But one day, I realized:
Social media is not a “place for competition,” but a “place for sharing.”

"I can just share what I feel at my own pace."
Once I started thinking that way, my heart felt much lighter.

🌾 Challenge #2: Not being able to keep up with the speed of information

The world of social media is incredibly fast-paced.
New features and trends appear one after another, and sometimes I find myself wondering,
"Wait, it's already changed?".

But when that happens, I try asking ChatGPT.

ChatGPT kindly answers even those small questions.
Thanks to that, I've been able to enjoy social media little by little at "a distance that feels just right for me."

🌸 Summary: You don't have to aim for perfection

What I realized after starting social media is that
it's more important to "enjoy it" than to "master it perfectly."

It's okay if you can't post every day.
It's okay if there are days when you can't express yourself well.

What's important is "feeling connected" and "expressing yourself in your own words.".

Now that I'm in my 70s,
I want to continue sharing at my own pace without pushing myself too hard.

☕️ Closing thoughts

Through social media, I have gained "the courage to connect." And by sharing, I have been able to
"meet myself once again."

I will continue, little by little.
Together with ChatGPT, I will walk forward at my own pace.