Last Tuesday I decided to take a week off of my regularly consumed media
sources: the radio and Facebook. I was driving in my car that day listening to
an inspiring story on NPR, and had an impulse to get involved in the project
being discussed. I then had a lightning bolt thought - "NO! You already
have so much to do!" I then considered how much time I spend having
stimulation fill the space of my day. I decided to take a month off of
media, and then thought that that might be a bit extreme. So I started
with something more attainable:
"a week...and possibly two."
So it's been a week of no radio and no Facebook. In the first few
days I noticed how every time I got into my car and began driving, I would habitually
reach to turn the radio on. A few times my hand actually touched the
volume dial before I recoiled in remembrance. Staying off of
Facebook has been surprisingly easy. I did make a few
class announcements via Twitter, that then posted to Facebook, and to be
honest, I did have to log into my account to contact a couple people
whose email addresses I didn't have. But
other than that my “Wall” and profile were little missed.
What filled the space of my days in the absence of this stimulation? I had a really creative week. I made some new, very inspired pages in my Vision Book of Attraction (more on that in the next post). I
had a meeting with my acting mentor, made a laundry list of to-dos, and have gotten the ball rolling on
everything on that list that can be started now. I got really clear on
the direction(s) I’m heading to create financial
independence for myself. I hosted a craft night for some friends. I helped my husband sew a sweater for our dog "Princess" Moon. I went to a collage night at Christabel’s, and worked in
my Vision Book more. I paid attention to my dogs at the park and enjoyed
watching them play. I read a book and got really into it. I learned a scene and
rehearsed it with one of my classmates. I
shared my time and helped some friends get their space ready for a party. I ate slowly. I cooked delicious food. I paid attention. I became more present. I relaxed.
What filled the space of my relationship to Facebook, was a deeper
and more creative rapport with myself and with the people in my community. While
I can pay attention all the time to FB and see people’s updates and find out what’s happening for them
via sentence fragments, I find
my energy to be scattered and magnetically pulled by Obsessive Checking. (Obsessive Checking: uhb-ses-iv chek-ing To spend excessive amounts of time electronically monitoring one’s social media accounts, email accounts, and blog accounts. To follow one’s
online and virtual life without consideration for what one is
overlooking in his/her physical life. Unneccessary viewing of emails, social media
accounts, and other self-focused Internet hubs. To check one’s myriad email
accounts for the third time in 15 minutes, only to see four new emails, open them,
read them, but not reply to any of them. To check one’s Facebook profile for
the fifth time in 20 minutes, only to find that no one has commented on or
Liked your status update. To consistently receive new information stimulation
from regularly visited online sources.)
Now, obviously, I like social media networks. They truly
serve a purpose for me. I’m also really appreciative to have had a few days to get some perspective on how my Obsessive Checking was limiting me and retarding my creativity. Life feels slower
now. And ironically more connected.
