Unplugging

I didn't blog last week.  But there was a reason.  I decided to take the social media fast for 7 days.  And I kind of decided to just unplug from most things for a week because I recognized that I really needed it.  It was eye opening to me how hard it was for me to delete my instagram app on my phone.  I have deleted my facebook app multiple times before. And have always felt better after unplugging.  But this was my first time giving up Instagram, and my blog, and all of the things that I felt was forcing me to look at my phone constantly.  Or that I felt was putting pressure on me in any way.

And I feel renewed.  And I feel like a solid bad habit was broken.  Yes, I have since reinstalled instagram on my phone. But I feel like I have looked at it a lot less and haven't had that urge to scroll as much.  Now of course I'm going to have to keep this in check because it will be *so* easy to fall right back into allowing Instagram to consume my life.

But I guess the main point here is this.  We always have these things that consume our lives.  And for some reason or another, we just can't seem to break away.  And there's all of these reasons in our minds as to why we can't give it up.  " But then I won't know when so and so had their baby." or "But then I won't know what happens next in the next season of that really inappropriate show I shouldn't be watching in the first place." or "but this is keeping me connected to my friends."  But at what cost? At the cost of melting your brains cells from staring at a screen all day? At missing out on building relationships with the people right in front of you? Of telling your children that your phone/computer is more important to you than they are?

I took an inventory of my life and I realize that I need to unplug way more often.  And I need to figure out a system that works.  Because there is of course so much good that comes from social media.  But it doesn't need to consume my life.  And the weirdest part? Is that once I deleted my app- after the first initial day of shock, I didn't even miss all of the things that I was so worried about missing.  Because I was filling my time with much more fulfilling things.  It's funny how sometimes we think it's going to be so so hard to give something up and we are so afraid to do it.  But then once we do, it somehow wasn't that bad.  And the benefits far outweighs the downsides.  And that lesson can definitely be applied in other areas of life.

Even with having children, for example.  It can be really daunting to start a family.  Because you are giving up your freedom.  You are giving up your spontaneity, your sleep, your free time, your stain free clothing, your ability to give people rides in the back seat of your car without moving huge carseats, your money to spend on yourself freely, your clean toy free home, and so much more.  But wow do the benefits outweigh all of that.  Right? You gain unconditional love, a little person that loves you even when you just lost your cool with them 30 seconds ago, a little person that thinks you are the coolest person in the world that knows everything about everything, the magic of seeing someone go to the zoo for the first time, that feeling where they are inconsolable and yet you are that person that can calm them down, that feeling of just wanting a break and then as soon as they go to bed, you pull your phone out to look at pictures of them and miss them, the opportunity to watch your spouse become a parent, allowing you to appreciate them in an entirely new way, and so SO much more.

Sacrificing little conveniences in our lives can often lead to the great blessings.  I read "A Gentleman in Moscow" a while back.  (amazing read if you are looking for one) And the main character at one point says that it is the inconveniences in his life that have ended up bringing him the most joy.  And that has really stuck with me.  Doing convenient, easy things, doesn't bring you true happiness.  Yes it brings you immediate pleasure sometimes, but it doesn't last.  Unplugging from that little thing that you are maybe a little too addicted to is maybe the answer to that prayer you keep repeating over and over.

So here it is. What I pondered during my 7 day fast.  And I'm glad I did it.  And I want to figure out how to unplug more from things that aren't bringing joy into my life. And I want to plug in to things that make me truly happy.