What I've Learned from Two Weeks off Social Media

And why I'm not going back anytime soon

I was talking to my friend Gayle recently from lifenotlikes.com and she was telling me about her social media detox and the profound change it has had on her life. The idea of disconnecting from something as addicting as social media intrigued me and I decided to give it a try. I was already feeling overworked and short on time and the idea of creating more space in my life seemed like a good idea.

It's been two weeks and I have no urge whatsoever to go back. My impromptu social media detox has provided me with far more than the time and space I'd been craving and it was way easier than I thought it would be.

There were a couple of times that I reached for my phone and then put it back down without so much as a touch on my Instagram, Facebook or Twitter icons. In the spirit of complete disclosure, I have been on Pinterest and I've watched a few YouTube video of Carrie Green's She Means Business podcast. Funny enough, Carrie shares the same mindset as Gayle when it comes to running a business without needing social media to do it, and these two ladies built their businesses online so if they can do it, I most certainly can.

(I'm not sure why Gayle had decided to stay on Pinterest and YouTube - I think it had something to do with them not having the kind of algorithms that other social media platforms have that make them so addicting and detrimental to our psyches - but I figured I'd go with the same approach.)

Here's what I've found during my two week sabbatical from social:

• more time in my day (have you ever looked at the time you spend on social? Your phone will tell you if you're curious!)

• more space in my life (for anything really! Those little things I want to do but always felt like I didn't have the time or space for - like just sitting and enjoying the moment and a cup of coffee.)

• more space in my brain (as a chronic over thinker, this was HUGE for me!)

• more relaxed (about...well, everything really.)

• the ability to doze off (because of the previous bullet. I've napped curled up on the couch in the middle of the day and outside on the deck in the afternoon sun.)

• started meditating again (I had abandoned my meditation practice and I've returned to it, which helps with all of the above).

• twice daily walks with the dogs (with more time in my day, walking my dogs became something I did from a more leisurely pace and perspective than before I went off social.)

• I'm no longer looking for validation and a dopamine hit from friends and followers in the usual online platforms, I'm also naturally developing my internal validation - which is the only kind that really matters.

As a byproduct of all of the above, I'm also:

• more intentional about how I spend my time, enjoy my time, and share my time

• more aware of how I fuel my body by what I'm eating and how much water I'm drinking

• more present with my husband and my friends

• living in the moment and the here and now - which really is the only place we can live, isn't it?

• I'm happier, healthier and waaaaay more zen than I ever was when I was spending my precious life energy and time scrolling on social media.

Who knew that the chat with Gayle that day would have such a profound effect on my life! And it wasn't even something that she challenged me to do. I was just inspired to give it a try after hearing her story.

Maybe that's the other big take away from this blog - follow inspiration when it strikes.

I've been listening (or maybe truly hearing for the first time) the voice of my soul/heart/inspiration etc. and following it. I FINALLY went and tried stand up paddle boarding and I loved, loved, loved it - see my last blog for more on that) and the next weekend, my husband and I took the trailer and the dogs (two cocker spaniels, Charlie and Sadie) and the cat (King Joel, he's diabetic and requires two insulin shots per day) and went to a provincial park an hour away from us for the weekend and it was pure BLISS!

My soul craves being on the water and Lake Superior (which we live on the shores of in the small northwestern Ontario town of Marathon, population 3000) isn't the friendliest or warmest body of water - it is a Great Lake after all. Luckily, the lovely young lady that does my lashes mentioned that I could rent a paddle board or a canoe at nearby Pukaskwa Provincial Park so that's exactly what I did - and did my heart sing! It was hands down the most sublime experience I've had since moving here two years ago. My soul was happy and my heart was full.

Camping at Rainbow Falls Provincial Park an hour west of us provided another completely blissful experience. Two and a half days of relaxation surrounded by trees, nature and other happy campers. I honestly didn't know I could be that happy. That happy, that easily. So many of us spend our time chasing happiness, or trying to find happiness, or searching for what makes us happy, and yet our soul knows. It's always known but we're so busy looking outside of ourselves for it, we don't see it when it's literally right under our noses and it's soft tender voice is drowned out by everything else clamouring for our attention.

My social media detox has also contributed to my mission to make friends with Marathon. After moving here in April 2020, I struggled to call it home, nevertheless let it be home. I complained about the weather, hated how far it was from my 21 and 22 year old daughters and the rest of my family, couldn't settle into the house we'd bought and had no connections here outside of the fire department that my husband was chief of.

I didn't know the townsfolk or the names of streets. I had no idea there was a movie theatre, a bowling alley or a dog agility training park (learned about that last one today from my very good friend, Rebecca...lol.)

Other random first times this week consisted of meeting new neighbours (they live across the road and down a couple doors but I hadn't met them before yesterday), going to Tim Horton's and meeting a new friend for coffee (first time in Tim's, it opened here last December), went through the A&W drive thru (first time since we moved here) and went in the convenience store (grocery store was out of cream so I went looking elsewhere for some for my husband.) These might seem like minor things but it's these everyday little things that make a town a home, and they're some of the things that now makes this town feel more like home for this blogger.

So there you have it.

Curious about taking a social media detox? My advice is to take it one day at a time. That's how I went into it and worked great for me. If you need more help or are looking for resources to help with your social media sabbatical, check out Gayle's website. (She's also a sobriety coach if alcohol is something else you're thinking you might like to take a break from, you can check that out here, Sober Bliss.)

As for following your heart/soul/inner voice/spirit/life purpose, come back to this blog as I continue my journey to rediscovering myself and the adventures waiting to be lived outside of my career. I'll be sharing it all right here in beyond bunker gear.

PS - I'm halfway through my Hypnotherapist Practitioner Certification and will be looking for people to work with in the near future. If you're interested in how hypnotherapy can help you work through things like stress, anxiety, confidence, troubles sleeping, overworking, relaxing, snoring, self worth, self love etc. stay tuned for more!

Jen

xo