The Dolls recently spent a cosy Fall night by the fire watching the most recent Netflix documentary. Caitlin and Dani knew that there were important conversations ahead with The Social Dilemma film. The besties watched, discussed, and headed to the newly renovated Four Seasons Chicago to record the latest Doll Talk Podcast on the subject.
Admittedly, we were dreading the film but felt a responsibility to be a part of the conversation that The Social Dilemma started. You see, we both adore Social Media and all the sparkle it helps bring to the world! We built our blog with Social Media – we even started a sister marketing company to manage Social Media for businesses.
Sometimes a new perspective can really help you see things differently… and a healthy discussion can help you see things more clearly. Click below to watch our latest podcast filmed and recorded at Four Seasons Chicago. We were over the [full] moon to stay at the refreshed property. The décor is utterly modern and every bit as luxurious as you would expect.
Doll Solutions to the Social Doll-emma:
- Awareness: The first step we see is becoming aware of the magnitude in which Social Media apps track our activity and serve up content. Once you are aware, you will have the ability to mentally separate the content you are taking in with the emotions that incur.
- Take a step back: One of our favorite practices is self-reflection. Getting in tune with your thoughts and emotions is a powerful tool. Being upset or in a bad mood is 100 percent okay. Your feelings are valid. But can you track back where and when these feelings started to emerge? If you recognize them stemming from Social Media – then put your phone down and take a cyber break.
- Prioritize your feed to make it a positive place: You have the power to curate a Social Media feed that makes YOU happy. If there’s a brand, influencer or person who’s posts make you feel downright icky… then simply unfollow them! Goodbye negativity. We realize this isn’t always so simple and you don’t need any extra drama from ‘unfollowing’ in your life – so, if that isn’t an option for you then you can MUTE instead! When you mute someone, they will never know and their posts and stories will disappear from your feed. Here’s how: on IG tap the … in the upper right hand corner of their post in your feed and then select ‘Mute’. On FB click that same … and select ‘Unfollow Name’. NEXT – and this is a very important part – bring more positivity into your feed. Start engaging with the content that makes you happy. Save, Comment, Like the posts that you vibe with. The more you engage with these posts, the more similar content will be served up to you. For example, the more puppy photos you comment on, the more puppy photos will be shown to you!
- Set personal goals to stay away from your phone: Ever walk into a gathering and everyone is on their device, not engaging with one another?! Make it a priority to be present in the moment with your friends, family and significant other. We have found this to make a significant difference. One specific place we recommend putting the phone away is in the bedroom – it’s too accessible for mindless scrolling which can lead to anxiety and brain fog.
- Community awareness, regulation + moderation: We don’t have all the answers here but feel strongly that some kind of moderation needs to be put in place, particularly for children, preteens and teenagers with developing brains. We feel that stringent advertising guidelines should be put in place on Social Media. We would also like to bring awareness with school assemblies that focus on topics like cyber bullying.
After a healthy discussion while recording the Podcast, we slipped into some sparkles and headed to the brand new Adorn Restaurant for the grand opening. Fun fact: these Dolls ordered the very first drinks that the bar served! Did you know that Chicago is home to two James Beard Award-winning chefs? The Adorn Restaurant has brought on one of the winners, Jonathon Sawyer as the executive chef. We were ecstatic to meet Jonathon Sawyer and try his globally-inspired cuisine starring the bounty of the American Midwest. We highly recommend the Chicken Wings, cooked for three days!
From sunset to sunrise, we were able to enjoy the impeccable views of Four Seasons Chicago. The new design of the hotel is truly luxury reimagined. There is still every bit of Chicago-chic glam with a modern twist. This was a multimillion-dollar renovation… and it shows. Every detail is well curated, making us feel right at home amidst the Magnificent Mile.
We recently staycation-ed at Four Seasons Chicago and recorded the latest episode of Doll Talk Podcast. Click here to listen or select your favorite platform to listen on below:
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