Disclaimer: This article is real, honest, and vulnerable. Turn back now if that's not what you want.
During the hurricane evacuation, I decided to take a break from social media. It was probably the best decision I've made in a while. Now, I'm not saying go off the grid! I kept in touch with friends and family via text to make sure they were safe. I have to admit that I was ready to escape and rest for a little while. This did not make the social media hiatus any easier though... I am someone who checks her phone constantly, thinking of clever captions for likes and follows. It's a part of the culture and time I grew up in, but it is a part of me that needed to take a back-seat. There were things missing that I didn't even know my heart was longing for. In case you are thinking about unplugging, I'm going to tell of the benefits and some rules that took place in my week.
I paid more attention to things around me
I noticed daily blessings in my life. The things I would write off as coincidences or just "cool things", ended up revealing encounters with the Lord. When I stopped and thought back on these instances I watched God's hand in my life, as well as those around me.
I learned to internalize
I've realized in the past couple of months that internalizing is a huge part of growing up and living life. I didn't react or post online right after something influential happened in my life. I stepped back and truly processed how I was feeling and what God had to say about the situation.
I didn't focus on my insecurities
I'm not blaming social media for my insecurities (the devil does a good job on his own), but I do recognize they are heightened and affirmed by what I see online. During the week I wasn't worried about if my outfit was "on point" or if I was the skinniest girl in the room, I was happy being me.
I was motivated to do immeasurably more
Instead of sitting on my phone, I had all this free time! I worked out...willingly! I did things I've been meaning to do for months, and got to catch up on books I never finished. I got to enjoy random adventures (when it wasn't storming) and I tried new things. I started to believe that there would always be something more I could be doing to benefit my life or to help others. (thank you Audrey Roloff)
I lived in the moment
I didn't know what my friends and followers were doing every second of every day. I didn't compare what I was doing on a Friday night and wonder if it was "cool"...why? Because I was busy having fun and living it! I wasn't worried about the notifications because I was just enjoying the present and the people around me.
You are reminded of what's important
I got to spend time with my family and catch up on what I had missed while my nose was in my phone 200 miles away. I spent time resting in the Lord and truly receiving peace during a hard time. I had time to just sit and listen to worship music, something that speaks life and strength into me. I had truly missed it and cherished this time of healing.
Rules (Optional, and written by me, of course)
~Allow yourself to cheat a little: I stayed on Snapchat and GroupMe, so that I could keep in touch with certain people (and so I could commentate on Miss America)
~Leave your phone in another room: When spending time with family or friends in your home, just put it away or plug it in to charge so you can be in the moment
~Let your phone die: On that note, don't try to run and find a charger when your battery is on 10% (as long as you're safe). It's actually good for your phone to die every once and a while.
~Keep your important notifications on: It's hard to quit something cold turkey and if there is something major going on (such as a hurricane), it's fine to stay updated.
~Choose a hiatus period when you won't be distracted: Don't make it hard on yourself! If you love the olympics or shark week,etc. Don't pick the one week you will want to tweet the most
I'm sooo happy I did this experiment/challenge!! It opened my eyes to what I was missing out on (literally and figuratively), and made me realize how much of a slave I was to my phone and social media...I 10/10 recommend this to anyone in their teens or 20s!
