Does this new 'life' impact Sport?

If you're reading this, chances are you've been brought here by an algorithm. If not, all your very much 'conscious' and 'not' determined social media choices have led you to read this very sentence. This is a post that I never imagined myself writing. This post is more to provide clarity on a matter of recent changes and experiences, mainly targeted towards my own generation. However, it may influence others too. To hear my point, I beg of you to scroll.

To begin, I just finished watching a documentary called 'The Social Dilemma', it is available on Netflix or other options like free streaming services. This post comes from my room at midnight because of this documentary, as eye opening as it really is. It's been 5 months since I last wrote on here and when doing so, nothing felt like it mattered due to the pandemic situation. Having covid-19 myself and still being under my normal weight and strength limits, really hits hard when you see how hard other people are working within their fancy home gyms. Whilst you're simply hoping for your club to reopen, purely to coach again! So you don't have to face the reality of how far behind strength-wise you have became. This situation still being the present reality for our local Weightlifting club that situates in a deprived area, of a Youth Centre. So since then, not much activity from myself. Safe to say, it is difficult to face the reality of falling behind on your progression within a sport.

So there lies my current situation. Starting University being the best and also at times, the worst thing that ever happened to me. An element of competition in which your place in the race relies on how you feel that day or week or month, that then represents the future. Add in the mix of the controlling nature of social media and you've got yourself some trouble. I'm talking about the repetitive nature of scrolling, constantly reading about other peoples lives and being enticed by notifications. Rather than creating hobbies for yourself and learning. If I asked you what you did yesterday on social media, could you tell me? Because I certainly wouldn't remember. I did a simple calculation and guessed that I (on average) may spend 5-7hrs per day on my phone. Having social media since I was 11, works out to be 2 and a half years of my life (so far) spent on social media. Algorithms will only become more clever, phones are only going to become more addicting and time is only going to go quicker in this current state.

By my change in tone in this post, it may be notifiable that in attempt to stress the importance of this, I know the impact of this year has taken a toll on a lot of people. Whether that involves people in sports or not. In my opinion, young people's mental health is immensely declining due to this pandemic. If it's not the strange rules we must abide by, it may be how easily it is to distract ourselves with social media and to refrain from normal hobbies, simply because 'it's easier' or the only thing we've known to do. Or maybe its the idea that other generations may believe that students and young people are to blame? Public verbal abuse being thrown around throughout my time at University. But that's a rant for another platform...

My main point is, if you are regretting how you have spent the past few months in lockdown or abiding by rules and being distracted by social media.

• Get back into the hobbies you used to love now or find new ones.
• Turn off your notifications.
• Spend time with those you love.
• Learn.

Learning being one of the most important things here. Whether its from yourself or others. I believe you cannot complain about others being better than you if you aren't willing to learn or try. I am here at the moment and as hard as it is to admit, I log into Instagram and log straight out as soon as I see the success of another. But months back, if put in the same situation, I would rejoice at the sight of another lifter succeeding. However, since I cannot lift due to current club circumstances, social media has really became the only present thing in my life. This is going to change for the better now.

That was my short, but hopefully eye-opening post. Linked below is the social dilemma's website, notifying how you can reduce social media hours.

The Social Dilemma