I don't know if you've read about Essena O'Neil. She's an 18-year-old Australian Instagram model with over a half million followers. This week she decided to end her social media career, and in a final post wrote:
"I'm quitting Instagram, YouTube and Tumblr. Deleted over 2,000 photos here today that served no real purpose other than self-promotion. Without realizing, I've spent majority of my teenage life being addicted to social media, social approval, social status and my physical appearance."
A lot of teens and even people in their 20s communicate largely through social media, but it doesn't seem that people are really that social.
I was recently in a restaurant where I watched a large group of 20-somethings talking intensely on their cell phones while ignoring their dinner partners. There is a false sense of community which is growing rapidly as the use of mobile devices become more pervasive.
I think that in spite of access to omnipresent communication, millennials must be some of the loneliest people in the world.
But I believe that spas can help to alleviate a lot of the loneliness. Most spa therapists are introverts and as such are great listeners. Their natural strengths should be developed with training that enhances their engagement skill.
As a place that people are drawn to anyway for soothing and relaxation, spas could ultimately become a hub of the community.
Most spas ban cell phone usage, so the only options are to interact or sit quietly in peace. The egalitarian nature of spas would make it perfect for multi-generational conversation. Who knows where that could lead?
That sounds like a good time to me. What do you think?
Linda Harding-Bond loves spa retail training and introverted therapists. Follow her on Twitter.