Top eight was like you had your friends like listed on your MySpace almost left side of the screen, and it was like you could select your top eight friends were and like that was like a social status moment, like if you.
Were in somebody's top eight.
I hated garbage, absolutely unhinged, Like why were we doing this?
It was unhinged? Better More, a little more better.
Welcome to More Better, a podcast where we stop pretending to have it all together and embrace the journey of becoming a little more better every.
Day, or at least trying to. That's Stephanie Beatrice. And that's Melissa. And that's to you. Who are you?
Oh?
Are you?
That's Melissa. I could be anyone you want me to be, stef.
Do you want me to be?
Starting off real strong? You guys?
Starting off real strong? Uh, that's most of a marrow. You may know her from television, film and.
Voiceovers, or you may not.
And it's okay, but today she's co hosting this podcast with me.
You probably do otherwise. Why are you listening to us right now? That's true?
You have a point.
Yeah.
Anyway, Welcome back, you guys. Welcome back. Hey doing friend? How's it going? Man? I'm I'm on, I'm I'm you're going through it ruggling.
I got sick last week. I went to a concert finished Twisted Metal. We flew back home to LA then I flew back to Toronto to go to the Casey Musgraves concert. The concert was beautiful. Flying back to Toronto a mistake. I got very sick and I've kind of been sick ever since. Yeah.
I also invited my entire cast to Twisted Metal to come to my house. Really good pizza, pool party. Oh no, Why did I do that?
When I do that, I feel like that happens to me so much, where I make a plan in advance and then the plan comes and I go, oh no, but not today.
Why did I do that? Anyway, how are you doing?
I am doing pretty good. I am in Atlanta. We just started Gross Point Guarden Society. We're first week down. It's been going great. It's been going really smooth. It's like shockingly smooth for the beginning of a new show.
Don't curse yourself here. I know, I know.
Knock on all the wood, knock on all the wood. It's going to continue. It's going to continue. The crew is really great. But yeah, I miss my family. I have one more week. You know. For me, the two week mark is always like when I really start going crazy. So I feel like I just have to like keep myself busy, put my head down, and like get through this week, like this will be the week to just
get through. Anything you've been doing lately that's a little more better, or you're just trying to you're treading water.
I'm a survivor. I'm not gonna give up. I'm gonna make it. I'm gonna work harder. I think the thing that is that I'm doing that's more better is that I am going to take the month off December.
I am not good for the strata.
Like I did tell my agents, I was like, yop, I didn't and I got it anywhere and.
They were like, okay, sure for you. There's this like thing. Did you want to do this thing though? And I was like nope, so good for you. I'm really looking forward to it. I've never done that before. That's hard to do, and that's you've never done it and you've never ever heard it.
You're taking care of yourself, You're prioritizing yourself. You're not gonna regret it. You're gonna be so happy you did it.
She's only going to be three years old once. Exactly. Take advantage of it.
Yes, seize the moment.
I'm going to watch a lot of movies, eat a lot of food, cuddle and a lot of holiday stuff with Ras.
Yeah, I want to like cuddle, cuddle, cuddle, cuddle, puddle with her. She already asked to watch the other day. I was like, ha haaa success.
I know as a parent, it's already like the wheels are in motion, baby, Yes.
I love that more better. On today's episode, we're talking about social media.
So you know the SOSI the so just social includes all all of the things on the Internet that are like.
Community, group building areas. Blah.
I mean it is that, but it isn't. Starting with back in the day Facebook, Then there was MySpace, then there was Twitter, now x things like TikTok and Instagram and wherever you exist on the Internet. That is like for social stuff, which can become other stuff too, but that's generally what we're talking about.
Yeah, So what's your question to start off with, is is TikTok on your phone right now?
Oh?
Dariel, it absolutely? Is it? Absolutely? Yeah?
Yes, because I Home Shopping Network actually asked me to do this really cool thing where they were like do you want They were like, do you want to give us like your Christmas shopping list, like we can help you choose stuff from the website.
I was like, no, I've already got things.
You were like, it's like I'm already shopping on home Jopping Network for my Christmas presents.
Like like home Shopping Network, I've got this.
You have come to do literally like they were like, do you need help with your list? I was like no, I already have things in my cart.
So I had to also post about that because I wanted people to like watch when I was going to be live and stuff, so we had to Yeah, I think I see download TikTok.
I'm putting it on my phone and was I on it last night? I was apparently.
There's some drama that I couldn't figure out a jewelry talk. There's some stuff going on.
What Yeah, I don't know what's happening. What else? Oh, I'm behind on this trend of do you remember that song that but didn't have to cut me? Remember that song? Oh? Yeah, yeah, yeah, uh huh. There's this fantastic trend where people are like.
Stop editing it and like doing their own dance. I'll send you a couple. It's a freaking hilarious. I went down a real I was in it last night. I was in my TikTok tornado. I was in the tornado.
I love it too. I'm gonna take it off my phone. It's not good for my brain. It's not good for my brain. But today it's on there. But today, you know what.
We're just we're getting a little hits right now. It's all good.
I ever went to social media.
It was like I literally remember posting on Instagram for the first time and being there, wonder.
If anyone will ever see it? Like, I wonder if people will see this? I was doing it.
Yeah, I was like posting back backstage pictures of the play and stuff, and like one of the guys in the play was like, are you sure.
You should post that? I was like, no one's gonna see it, No one even uses this thing. No, Yeah, you remember was Instagram?
Was Instagram the first like kind of social media thing you were on.
I think it was that in Twitter.
Honestly, I got on both of them because of Brooklyn nine nine because we were we had been picked up for the first season, and I was like, I guess I should have a social media presence.
Actors seemed to do that, So I'm gonna.
I got on Twitter because of Brooklyn nine nine. As soon as we got picked up. It was actually my husband David.
He goes, you.
Should get on Twitter and make sure you get your name because remember, like that would be a thing, like people would steal your name.
Yes, and so he was.
Like, while you can still get like at Melissa Fumero.
Yeah, like this is dumb.
I'm not gonna go what am I gonna do on Twitter? And he was like, just just do it, just set it up, and then he was totally right.
He was right.
I wish I was jumped on it earlier because like people in the very very beginning were you know, there's like the girl that has like at Stephanie has like a gajillion followers.
You know, I wish I had early on, you know. And then there was like that.
Thing where you could buy back your name from people and stuff, which is like, oh, I don't under the table styles. Yeah, people hang like a lot of money, so that I mean, listen, this is cesspool.
We're getting in here, you guys right into this quick quick fire. Were you on MySpace? Yes? Were you on friends Her?
Yes?
Were on Friendster?
No?
Were you on live journal?
No?
Were you on four Square? I don't even know what four square is.
I don't even know what that is.
Periscope. I think that was like where are you right now?
Like, oh, I kind of remember that way for like a second show your location with everybody right, which were still so weird to me, you know what.
I loved and I used to stalk I think I might have one somewhere. Tumblr. Oh yeah, I think I was on Tumblr. It was sort of like, wasn't it this was gonna say? It was kind of like Pinterest, right, Yeah. I just remember like like.
People would make like their Tumblr like it was like yes, and they were like and like, yeah, I liked live journal. I liked reading people's live journals because it was really like a blog without having to have a hosting space.
For a blog. I love, I love a blog. What do you like blogs about today?
So we keep calling it because because when we were on Brooklyn, Uh, sometimes we would take pictures, you know, like back backstage or like when we weren't shooting or someth thing, and if Andy was in them, he would have to approve them, and then he'd be like, no Sosh, Nosh.
No Sosh, no Sosh.
Where have you saw someone taking a video or a picture during like an important episode or or a secret guest star we had?
Someone would always yell out no Sosh, no so yeah no, so yeah Sosh. That's why we call it. What is my relationship with Sosh?
I feel like I have a hate love relationship with Sosh.
Starting nice, hate out the game, love it, I hate well love for us.
It's also like, you know, I think back in the day, I loved social media. I loved being on friends to I thought my Space was kind of corny. I loved early days of Facebook. No, I like I was on it, and like I think I just always felt like I wasn't cool enough for MySpace, Like it felt like cool people were on.
My and I was like, I don't know how to make my MySpace.
Yeah, I always felt pressure lightly it should be it should.
Be cool people.
Oh my god, No, I know, I was like everyone, but like, you're like next to my friggin shower curtain in my bathroom people always.
Like, but I was like that first one to have like a backdrop and you.
Could add music and like it was like a yeah, it was a whole thing, and I children pressure for the children who weren't alive.
Then Top eight was like you had your.
Friends like listed on your MySpace almost left side of the screen, and it was like you could select to your top eight friends were and like that was like a social status moment.
Like if you were in somebody's top.
Eight was absolutely absolutely garbage, Like why were we doing this?
It was unhed why Yeah, But I loved it in the beginning because I could reconnect more easily with family member with you know, because I have family in Florida, I've got family in New York and at the time, I think I was living in New York when all this stuff came out, so like, you know, keeping up with my Jersey friends and like, I really liked it
for that reason. And then as I started to do more theater, and then it became about, you know, people I would meet from other places that I had worked with that I could keep in touch with them more easily and see what shows they were doing and so or after college and so and so would book a cruise ship or a show regional theater job and you could kind of they post pictures, and I thought this is so amazing because like you don't just like lose
people anymore, right, I can really stay connected with people who meant something to you in a moment and then life happens and you move away and before social media just like would never see them again.
And there's something easier about like, you know, obviously we can get people's phone numbers and we can text them or call them, but there's so much work. It's so but it's and it's also so like fun to see somebody's like scrap book of like what's happening in your life right now? Like I'll want to look through your scrap book, like i'm'n look through your little photo album and see like oh you went to.
This county fair, like oh ye're in Jamaica, or like oh you had a baby, you know whatever.
The stepness of it is kind of like a cool element of it. I think the thing that is really hard for me and the thing that I'm striving to get more better at is like the Chelsea pretty told.
Me about this phrase, and I've never forgotten it the.
Compare and despair and like, yes, that is the hardest part of social for me. Like, I currently do not have Instagram on my phone.
Uh it's my I'm very lucky.
My husband was a social media manager for other companies and stuff, and so he manages my social media and once in a while he'll be like, you need to look through your messages, and I'll go through my messages and talk to answer people back and stuff. But like, I'm not on Instagram looking because because it makes me feel less than parent despair.
Yeah, it makes me feel less. Then I look around and I'm just like, oh, I can't handle it.
More.
I feel like in the early days of social media, it was more of the scrap booking what we were just talking about, if anything, people maybe sometimes overshared, but more in a genuine way, you know. And then I feel like, especially with Instagram, when Instagram came on the scene,
people started filtering themselves. People started becoming more self aware slash self conscious about their life and how it looks and what they want to present to people and what they don't, and that created this like false ecosystem of what people's how people are really living their lives and yeah, and then it just created all of this pressure on everyone, whether it's like is your vacation fabulous enough? Is your you know what?
I mean, what are you wearing? How are you parenting?
Like the onslaught of like fucking opinions and visuals that are so curated. It's just become this different thing. And that's where my my hate comes in.
Yeah, I don't.
I don't. I can't because I feel that same thing. I mean, I know, I'm like a fucking I'm so hooked on Instagram.
I can't doom scroll a lot, and I know it's not good.
I will say my habit and I has increased a lot since not having it on my phone, Like TikTok is wimping because it's hilarious and you know, as the kids say, I built my for you page brick by brick, and it is dogs and people scaring each other, fashion of advice and people dancing too.
But didn't that cut me out?
I mean, like it is so funny to me as opposed to Instagram, where I'm like, you know, sometimes I'm seeing people that I h you know, I know really well, and I'm comparing myself to them or like why didn't I get invited to that event? Or like how come I'm not going to that party? Or like oh no, like they all want to dinner without me, you know. I mean I have a friend to a new friend who was like almost in tears telling.
Me about uh she was.
We were like both of us were out of town on jobs, and she was like, I saw this friend of mine and another friend of mine and they were at dinner together, and I thought they didn't even really like each other.
And she was like.
Almost in tears talking about it, and I was just like, girl, like get off of there. Stop looking at people's stories, Like just stop. You know that the heart of the flip side of that is like, well, I want to see what my friends are doing. I want to keep up, you know, Like for me, a lot of times I'll get I'll have friends that are like mad at me because it's been you know, two months since I've texted them, and suddenly I'm like, hey, what's up, what's going on?
And they're like, well, if you looked at my stories, and I'm like I don't not.
Oh my god, wait wait wait anyone being mad at you for not looking at their stories to keep.
It's just the initiation.
It's just the initial well, I mean like it is though it is this like because it is this social thing, like you just assume that, like, well, your friends are all looking at the at the stuff that you're like, it's like a mass message to all your friends, right, so, like I do have one friend that I had to Yeah, but the assumption that your friends are all actively making sure to check on your stories and see them, I don't know. I have some beef with that that.
I mean, it's kind I don't think we should normalize that.
I don't think we should normalize that. No, Okay, we have differing opinion, but this is good. This is good. This is good.
I think it's slightly normal because you're like putting on a newsletter about your life and then if you don't hear from your friend from like multiple months because they're also busy, and then they're like, hey, how are you, And You're like, I went through this really big thing, and like I've been talking about it a lot on my stories.
I'm like, I don't know where you've been.
It does necessitize where my joy I would I would if someone if I went through a big thing that I was posting about, and then I don't know why my voice starts. I start getting like all jersey and then passionate because I'm mad. And then I have a friend, you know, who haven't talked to you in a while,
be like, hey, how are you. I would immediately be like, oh, they're probably not on social, like they're probably just they haven't seen they don't know, and I'd be like, oh, actually, like this this has been going on, Like, I would just jump right into it. I wouldn't be personally offended that they didn't see my fucking stories.
The personal offense only last I'm judging your person's okay. Once I explained and I remind I have to remind people too. I'll be like, I'm not on social that you're going on and then they'll send me like stream or recordings of their stories and stuff, and it's really fun.
That's really fun because I'm like, oh, look at that, you know, like yeah, yeah, yes, drama, that's fun. Yeah. Because it's just saying they could get the.
Could skip the offended part, they could skip the offend they can skip the offendive part.
That's fair. That's fair.
The thing that's the thing that happens with social is like social. The thing that happens with with it is like, you know, you're looking at your friends stories and then all of a sudden you're looking at like someone who, like you had to friend because of a work situation when everyone was friending each other and you don't really care and like them.
And like suddenly you're like, oh, no, I'm looking at your house renovation. No, why am I deep diving into your life now? Like that? I know too much? I know too much.
I know too much, and I don't want to be here. I don't want to be here so real, I don't know what what are what I guess? Like A good thing to ask is like when you are on the Instagram, what is some of your is it?
Is it all friends? Or like? Do you have social accounts that like and follow? And why?
Uh?
Oh, good question. It's a mix.
I've also tried to curate my Instagram for like what I see because while I was huh.
Brick by brick, that's what the kids say, oh brick.
Yes, it's harder to do on on Instagram. But I was at one point like following like too many news accounts and I had to Oopsie had to re arrange that because I was like, this is very very bad for my mentals. So, uh, you know, I like more funny accounts friends, design things. I love when Architectural Digest pops up on my feet.
I'm like, yes, oh my god, I know. The walking tours are.
So funny because you can just tell that they're stage, like nobody lives like oh and.
I love by the yes. But I love when.
The actor celebrity or whoever it is, like points it out, like I forget who it.
Was, Dakota Dakota Dakota with like the line that I just like have a bowl full of lines like that.
She was like, I'm allergic to them, Like yeah, so hilarious. Or you know, you'll just see someone be like and here's a beautiful flora arrangement that appeared here this morning.
You know, I'm like, yeah, just call out the curation.
But yeah, I follow a lot of like design accounts because they're really pretty to look at. Oh, an artist too.
I really love following visual.
Artists on Instagram and like different galleries and stuff, so I try to Yeah, so that's a more pleasant experience.
We decide note we should do a more better episode of getting better at like art and art appreciation, because I really feel like you have an inner art artist, not critic, but like art appreciative person in there, and I want to learn more from that.
I think we should do that. That'd be fun.
I think, oh, thanks, Oh gosh, I would feel like I would have to study up because no, you know, like I feel like I know so little, but yeah.
I uh so.
Yeah.
And then you know, there's a part of like social media that like we have to do it for our jobs, and it's kind of part of the gig. It's expected. It sometimes helps us get jobs. It sometimes is another source of revenue and income for us, which saved me during the pandemic during the strike when I wasn't making any money as an actor and I got a couple of things on social media that were you know, nice paychecks. It just helped us in that moment, in those grateful
for yours. I'm so grateful for that, my god, pandemic, Thank you, Butterfinger. But and yeah, so it's it's you know, so it's like kind of a job. Also, it's like a part time job, you know, making sure our social media is like active and interesting and you know, promoting the things we want people to know about also giving like little parts of ourselves. So it's like I feel like we have a different relationship with it maybe than most people.
Yeah, there's like an element of of well, I don't know.
You know, that's a good, really good question because like nowadays, so many people are actually getting audiences and true creating their own like success through social media. You know, whether it's like family that is, like talking about their parenting struggles and like suddenly you know, like blogging with our kid, which you know is its own thing.
But like, yeah, or I just saw this video this.
I just saw this video this morning of this guy who quit his court, his job and Corporate America and then opened a restaurant and opened two more, but like the two of them failed, and then he tried to go back to Corporate America and couldn't get a job. And then he decided they were like burning through their savings and he decided, well, I'll just cook all of our meals and then he just recorded them.
He's like this amazing cook.
And gained a huge following and he was like and during all this his wife had a baby, and my god, stood, yeah, and so his videos are really sweet. He's like, you know, pulling up carts up to his wife as she's like holding their new boarn and like showing everything he made for her, and it's like very wholesome and he yeah, and now he and then you know, sponsors started coming in and he started making money from it, and they're like getting back on their feet, and I was like, that's amazing.
There's a chef, the hot chef that I watch on TikTok. I think his name, I think his handle is sad Boppy, and he's like very fun to watch, and I think he's like a cookbook coming out, you know, Like there are people, there are many more people that are actually dealing with social media in the way that we have to deal with it as if it's part social and
part business venture. And I think like that is an additional amount of pressure because it's like, oh, how do I monetize this, you know, like sharing about my life?
Like it's a lot of a lot of pressure.
It's a lot and I think the people that do it right are, like you just said, like the people that use it as a stepping stone, you know what I mean that then build up to something else because you never know when the audience is going to get tired of you, you know, and like.
Just saying maybe they'll never get tired of you.
Out buddy, But I feel like it's stay funny, say.
No, I just think it's such a crowded market that, like you said, like that chef making a cookbook to me is so smart. That's like such a smart way to do it. It's like the same way you and I have like tried to get into directing, producing and voiceover and like other things, right, and keep what else can we do? How do we build on this and not just like do the one thing? You know, that's all I was trying to say, No, that's real.
That's real. I knew what you meant. I knew what you meant. I think it's like there.
Are positive a lot of positive I mean, I'm talking about like a lot of negative things, but now we're talking about a positive thing, right. Like another thing that I think is really positive about my kid another my kid is off waving to me on the side. Another thing that I think is really positive about social media is like I think it's a way to connect with
people that are unlike you. That yeah, can offer you a glimpse into their lives that you might not get in a different kind in a world that was smaller, right, Like it's there's a lot of like learning and education that you can get off of social I mean without I'll be very honest, without TikTok, I would not be as patient as I am with my chiddler because there's all these like child psychiatrists and psychologists and like, you know, people that are helping.
It, like even like miss Rachel, I mean people like.
That, like on social on the internet that are helping you with your kid, that are like going like you actually have a lot more patients than you think you know, or you're like guiding me toward these like hard conversations or whatever in different ways. Like in that way, the connectivity of social media is very very cool.
And also like there's a.
Lot of creativity there. I mean, what is that show English Teacher that is a new comedy that I think is hilarious and he started basically on TikTok.
There's a ton of.
People whose creativity has been discovered through TikTok and through other social media. It's like a connects you to your audience in a way that like, I mean, especially for people, like, I mean, I just saw yesterday I'm doing press with Ted Danson for the show that we have coming out, and like he's mesmerized by social media partially because it gives you access to people that like your work and that will talk to you about it like one on one, And it's so cool.
That part is so charming.
Yeah, Like, I mean, I can't you know, I'm sure you have many a story of people reaching out to you and being like, I never.
Saw myself on TV until you. I love the character you play. I appreciate your work, I appreciate what you put out in the world, and like none of that would happen without the connectivity of social media. Like it's quite cool in that way.
It has Yeah, it has its pluses, It has its plus, it has its pluses, it has its pluses. Do you like post or like, how do you I feel like, I'm I feel like you're really good at social media? Honey, say I know you're also married to Brad. Have a social manage it, Brad? Yes, he is the one I approve of all posts. I approve of all most of the time I write to.
Hire Brad you might need to, might need harem Like that's.
What he used to do for people. I mean, he helped build a lot of brands and stuff. And like he will write, he'll write a caption and I'll be like, no, that's not funny. I need to rewrite that caption, you know.
Or like he'll say, we're gonna post this thing, Uh, what's the caption?
And then I'll write it. And I look at comments a lot because he'll share them with me, especially like the really positive ones. But it's helpful to have somebody screen that stuff for you because sometimes people can be really ugly too, you know.
Yes, And I don't need to. I mean, in the very big.
I do get satisfaction from like deleting negative comments and or being like mute.
I love that block block and the block block block all day long.
Mm hmm. Okay, Nerd time, I thought this was really interesting. Yeah, this is from okay, hold on, uh, the risks versus a reward, the social dilemma, social media and your mental health. Like it or not, using social media can cause anxiety, depression, and other health challenges. I know we've all heard this, right, we know, I know we've all heard it. But the thing that we got to I think like that we got to remember is that social is built to provide you.
A dopamine hit.
Like someone like my photo, someone responded to me, how many likes did I get? You know, it's that like it's that sort of like boo, that little feeling of like, oh a little a little boo, a little something right. And the problem with engaging I think personally, I think engaging too much with that is that you forget that you can find those dopamine hits, like in your life. You know, you can find them from something that you I mean, I'm just thinking about myself. It's like, oh,
I'm proud of myself. Oh I'm grateful. Oh, you know, like I just think it's it can be a really scary way to train your brain into thinking that that's the only way to get that hit of dopamine. And that's the that's the that's a crummy part of it. And it's like there's studies you guys, like World Psychiatry did this study and like research shows that heavy social media uses linked with memory deficits.
Surprise, surprise, this one was crazy to me. Yeah.
It basically said that if you if you post a story or a picture of event, like, you're less likely to really remember it in your mind's eye. That is so because your brain is like, no, it's stored somewhere else.
That is such a rough, rough, rough thing.
Like And as someone who has a terrible memory, this one hit me hard because but you know what, I realize I've always had a bad memory. And I realized when I was very little, I took a lot of photos and I kept a lot of photo albums. Oh, because that's how I remembered trips. Like my mom, it blows her mind. She'll be like, remember when we went to Dominican Republic when you were eight and we did this? And I'm like no, oh, And she's like, how do you not remember? And I'm like, because I don't, Oh
my god. But if I took a picture of it, if it's in a photo album, you remember, I probably remember it well because then you can leaf through it, right.
Like. The other weird thing about social is that it's in this like weird. I mean, we talked about it a little bit, but it's in like a photo album in the ether somewhere that like, yes, where is it? It's not like a tangible. You know, sometimes I worry about that, like you know, when the grid ud all comes down, there's no like I don't have a book of this stuff.
It's just right, am I gonna be like what the fuck did I do?
And what I do?
Whoa, whoa, whoa whoa? What what happened?
You know, like I don't be any one day and being like I don't remember my twenties and thirty at all.
Everybody has that one friend that I'm just thinking about, like, oh well, not name names, but I'm just thinking about like like, for example, like what that last time that we went to Disneyland together? And like there are some people that just live the experience of being at Disneyland and like having the fun, and there's some people that
have to document every single thing that is happening. Yeah, And it's like while they're documenting, yes, it looks like they're having so much fun and they're sharing it with all their followers and stuff, but like when.
You're with the person, they're checked out. They're like not really with you.
I remember so much of that day because I did take a single photo or the only pay my sister cry laughing on Space Mountain that's so good.
We'll put that up on the Instagram in such a good photo.
Oh my god, it's so fun and a total laugh attack mountain crying, laughing.
But that's the only picture we have because because we are having so much fun.
We're having so much fun. Oh yeah, and you and I took one picture and rides of the Resistance. Yeah, and then the only video I took was the fireworks because your voice was ringing out. I was like, oh, I was like, I want a video of this.
But I do remember.
I try to remember that too when it comes to like kid stuff, yeah, like kid performances and stuff. Sometimes David and I will like try to take turns, like Okay, you take the video this time, I'll take it next time. And even if I'm taking a video, I'll try to like not watch it through the phone, do you know what I mean. Like I'll try to like set up the frame and just hold it really really still and then watch with my own eyes because I want to
be in the experience. I also don't want my kids to look over at me and I'm like looking at him through through a screen, making eye.
Contact with him.
It's hard, but like, and sometimes the video comes out like shit, And sometimes I just don't even take a video, Like sometimes I just watch the pharments, watch the song like be there. But you know it's hard because you know, grandparents want to like see, I know everybody wants.
To go and yeah you know, yeah, yeah, more better. Okay, So I guess what are your big takeaways from today? I think I know mine go ahead.
That while there are we have to look for the beautiful positives and social media to keep ourselves sane, and we also have to recognize all of the detrimental things that it can bring into our mentals in our life. Yeah, and so I think having boundaries. I love that you take social media off your phone. I think I should maybe start that practice.
Girl, I double dog.
Dare you to take Instagram off your phone for like the next three days and see how much you reach for your phone to look at it, because like, yeah, it's crazy, it's craz easy. Yeah, no, you're right, Yeah, just delete the apps just like it'll be there. So yeah, no social yourself, no socialself. What's your takeaway? I think that mine is like I'm doing the right thing for myself. By I mean, I know everybody's in front of me, like by going on and off and stuff.
But like, I think it's good for me. I think it's good for me not to have, you know, I think it's I think you've.
Found like a good balance or you're finding a good balance. Yeah, you let yourself indulge and like have fun with it, and then you're like and you take a break.
Yes, And I encourage you know, I encourage our community to like take it off sometimes, because like it is wild how much you reach for it, especially when you're lonely, especially when you're by yourself.
Like you know, I'm not saying you have to like text a friend, but it is a good thing to do.
It's like but also just like be by yourself, you know, like just hang out and chill and sit for a minute and like don't look at everybody else's life, disconnect, like focus on other stuff.
It's it's good for you. Yeah, discover what those dopamine hits are for you and realize yeah baby boom boom boo ooh flower bo you know, yeah, Okay, I feel a little more better.
I feel like I'm doing the right thing by having Also the bit is hilarious of people being like do you have TikTok on your phone.
It truly is. I enjoy it. So I enjoy a good bit. I enjoy a good bit. I feel a little more better about it. Yeah, I feel more better too.
Yeah.
Good, Yeah, okay, cool, this is good. That was fun.
I like that.
I can't wait to check in with you tomorrow and see if you took. If you do, you can do it. Just start with twenty four hours. You can do it. I want to do it. I'm gonna do it.
Guys, we're taking a little break for the holidays, taking some a little bit of rest, so relax, say back even sillier, stupider New Year. But we want to hear from you while we're taking our little restspit, so please keep emailing us and keep sending us MS, and we love a voice note about what you guys want to hear on the pod.
You can email us at Morebetter Pod at gmail dot com, or.
You can hit us up on the DMS. Just slide slide right in there, slide right in there. Yeah, Happy holidays, Happy holidays. See you next time, guys, See you next time.
Bye.
Dude, you have something you'd like to be more better at that you want us to talk about in a future episodes.
Can you relate to our struggles or have you tried one of our tips and tricks?
Shoot us your thoughts and ideas at More Better pod at gmail dot com and with a voice note if you want to be featured on the pod. Ooh More Better with Stephanie Melissa is a production from w V Sound and iHeartMedia's Mikutura podcast network, hosted by Me, Stephanie Beatriz, and Melissa Kumero. More Better is produced by Isis Madrid, Leo Clem, and Sophie Spencer Zaebos. Our executive producers are
Wilmer Valderrama and Leo Clem at WV Sound. This episode was edited by Isis Madrid and engineered by Sean Tracy and features original music by Maddison Davenport and Hello Boy. Our cover art is by Vincent Remis and photography by David Avalos. For more podcasts from iHeart, visit the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.
See you next week, Saga Bye,