Here’s why we need to be interacting in person, in real physical groups/communities, with physical touch and face to face communication… and why Facebook (Instagram and the like) are actually contributing to a greater level of disconnection contrary to their tag line “helps you connect and share with the people in your life”.
This man pictured above is known as the Homunculus Man, he is a representation of the somatosensory input to the brain, a proportionate picture of how your brain experiences the world around you.
Because relationship is the fabric of life (true on every level), the reality is that our brains are wired for physical connection, like shaking hands, touching the shoulder, hugging, kissing, etc., AND, to be in conversation face to face so that we can see body language (especially facial expressions).
While social media platforms can be useful, if they are your primary means of connection and relationship day to day, then you are starving your brain and allowing for feelings of emptiness, anxiety, depression and addictive behaviors to take over.
Make self-care/discipline a priority, not so much so that you can look and feel good, but so that you can more fully invest into the people around you in an encouraging, uplifting, proactive, life giving manner. Even better is to engage in the self-care/discipline with other people – the results of team training are far better than solo training!