Chatting is an essential aspect of life (take it or leave it).
I just knew I had to jump on this prompt because chatting has impacted my life in a thousand and one ways.
I've heard time and again that I'm a phone addict, most times I don't bother arguing because there's no point doing that. I could do without my phone but if there isn't an important reason to, why should I?
Back to the prompt at hand, how has chatting impacted my life?
I could go on and on about the benefits of technology but I'll go straight to the point. Chatting has brought so many wonderful people into my life. That's a summary of it all, you can stop now before I launch my storytelling.
Looking at most of the relationships I cherish in my life at the moment and some of my best memories with people, they're in a way or the other related to chatting. When I think about the way I got into conversation with some of my friends, I can't help but laugh. While I met majority of them physically (first encounter), we actually became friends through chatting. Don't get it wrong, I'm not socially awkward (well, maybe a 4 on a scale of 10 馃槀), I just don't automatically find basis of conversation at first encounter, mostly I just listen. Maybe that's why my best friend in school is a chatterbox 馃槀 (she'll have my head for this), she initiates the conversation and I just have to follow up.
I've always wanted to talk about Gil, perhaps another time. Though I've never met him physically, Gil is my confidant and best buddy. I've never met anyone so kind and thoughtful, in fact, I never thought anyone like Gil existed until I met Gil 馃ぃ. We started talking when he needed me to contact family and friends to make a surprise birthday video for my immediate sister, so you get the picture: Gil is my sister's friend who's now my friend as well. Gil is from DR Congo but resident in the Netherlands.
Chatting with Gil has brought this level of confidence and understanding that consumes the distance. Chatting helps me get to know people like we've been friends for forever, even if we have never met physically.
Contrary to most people's opinions that chatting is detrimental to communication skills, chatting has actually improved mine. While I'd naturally prefer to remain silent in conversations, actively chatting with fellow humans helps me build courage to express myself, even in physical conversations.
Many people find it weird when I chat, probably because I chat the way I think or would naturally talk, so if you don't like emojis, my bad, emojis and stickers are everything for me! While my demeanor speaks introversion, chatting helps me explore my ambivert nature. This in turn, helps me explore my natural inclinations and my personality.
Chatting also comes handy for me now and again. I remember one incident recently, I was going out and didn't know what to wear. I actually had to make a video call with my friend to make a decision for me 馃槀. That particular move is a lifesaver! Ladies can relate 馃槈馃槀
I remember a friend jokingly saying one day that if she's ever in an emergency, I'd be the first person she'd call because I always have my phone handy. That's not bad but social media can be very distracting. There's always so much to see on people's whatsapp statuses. There are times I exhaust these and keep checking for more (even the thought makes me shudder), absolute waste of time.
Also, I easily feel overwhelmed. Sometimes when I receive messages I don't want to respond to or require me to take an action I'm not ready for, my mind begins to race. That makes me get agitated at times and makes me lack focus on things I'm supposed to get done.
I'm taking measures to avoid this of course. I set app timers to regulate my presence on the apps. This of course, does not affect my availability, it just ensures I don't spend more time than I need to on the apps.
Finally, onto the question in my title. It would be so much fun to live virtually but not being able to pin a live person to that wonderful personality online? Nah, I'll pass. Also, I would never choose a virtual romantic relationship 馃ぃ
Thanks for visiting my blog, you're the best! I'd love to hear your take on chatting, kindly make use of the comments section 馃憞.
