Stepping Back

Starting this past October I started struggling with anxiety with it climaxing around Christmas time.  It ebbed quite a bit after Olivia's last cath and I've done well until the last week or so.  For the first time in my life stress knocked me down enough to cause the absolute worst cold I've ever had.  I do know the causes of the anxiety and stress this time which is making it easier for me to prioritize and hopefully fix the problem.  

As of late I have been struggling with a few people attacking my religion, something that I hold very dear.  They haven't been hostile towards me in particular but have said things that have been very offensive and with me being the very sensitive girl I am have indeed taken offense though they didn't necessarily intend that.  

Negativity, as it so often is, has been everywhere it seems.  If it's not snide comments tearing down my religion it's nasty news articles about women killing their babies (the latest flooding my facebook newsfeed.)  I have been told I'm overly sensitive but I'd say the heartbreak I felt over that story was completely justified. 

These and the other negative things filling up my facebook has turned my "catch up" time with friends and family into something less satisfying and more stressful.  I don't mean to say it is all negative and bad.  I have some excellent friends on facebook that I love to bits and pieces.  Some were just acquaintances that I'm finding are actual kindred spirits that I never had a chance to know better in person.  Some are heart moms who have insight to our struggles.  And some are family who live far away and we don't get to see one another often enough.  Facebook is a great thing.  Just not for me at this time.

A fellow heart mom recently stepped back from social media because of similar negativity flooding her newsfeed and I wondered if that might be a good solution for me.  After this past week I'm thinking that this woman is a freaking genius!  I believe what my church leaders have told me.  I believe that surrounding myself with good things is the best thing.  And facebook is not a good thing FOR ME at this time (again, not saying it's bad.)  I am not completely cyber-grounding myself.  I will still be floating around Pinterest (a girl needs life tips) and e-mailing and blogging (don't panic mother.) I'm not giving myself any major rules except that I will be stepping back from facebook for sure.  If you need something, text or call.  I still love being social.