I cannot believe it's almost Valentines Day!! It feels like we just celebrated new years! Yet another month has flown by and its been a great one for me, I hope it has been for you as well. I am such a goal oriented person and had so many plans for the month of January but the Lord seems to enjoy coming in and rearrange things his way, which in the end are always much better.
At the end of December I felt that I needed to start the new year off with a month long social media fast. Of coarse my plans were to start the year off running with my blogging but instead the Lord put it on my heart to put it all on pause and so I did. I only have Facebook and I didn't use it much (or so I thought) so I imagined it would be a breeze to commit, not logging on to it. But the first days and even weeks were actually hard. I noticed that I kept wanting to grab my phone during any free time throughout the day or in those moments when it's awkward while your waiting some place for a long time. I kept wanting to check up on things and even wondered if I might be missing something "important". It wasn't easy to not cheat thats for sure! But after the first week or so I started seeing things from a different perspective and even now as I continue to use my time more carefully I still feel how I'm being impacted my limiting myself from the media world. People always ask me why I don't have this or that (pinterest, instagram etc..) and I'm in the process of writing (in another post) about why I limit myself in these areas of life.
But for today here are a few things I've learned or was reminded of this month during my Social Media fast. The biggest thing is how much time I actually have! Besides texting, calling or occasionally looking something up I really don't use my phone. So without that option I have a lot more time to get things done, make new friends, take my kiddos out exploring new places around town. I actually have time now to give my kiddos massages and talk with them at bedtime, instead of rushing them into their rooms and demanding they fall asleep two minutes later because I'm behind on my evening schedule. I have found that I'm having more time to think and have to myself and I'm being much more productive. I even have more patience and clarity with my kiddos in the drama that goes on sometimes. Oh and I've finally started listening to an audio book and I'm half way done! Yay! lol it's been a long time since I've actually finished a bigger book so I'm excited.
I didn't really think I would be able to make it without even occasionally checking my FB but now that I'm on the other side, I really don't want to go back to constantly filling in my free time by looking at my phone. I love the freedom I'm feeling. I know that social media is an awesome tool and I myself love to learn new things on parenting or marriage and seeing post of friends and family are great but when it becomes your life and you can't live a week or two or maybe even a month without it then in reality you end up missing a lot of life itself and maybe not even realizing it. It felt weird but really cool to hear news the "old school" way over a conversation on the phone with my sister or a friend that so and so is getting married or someone is having a baby etc..
When I'm not on my phone in line at the grocery store or at the playground with the kids I can actually see people, smile at them and talk to them, maybe even speak into their life or make a new friend. I've made myself available and asked the Lord to show me people who might be in need of some encouragement or just need a listening ear, and he did! I've actually made a few new awesome friends these last few weeks that way and I'm so excited to make more. I know that it's not easy for everyone to just start talking with strangers or reach out to people we might see often but just haven't found the courage to get to know a little better. I totally understand (I was once scared to death myself) but I promise it gets easier with every time! :) I've also found myself being more connected to the Lord, without having the distractions I have more time to linger in his presence and my mind isn't filled with the "news of the day" but more concentrated on the word I read in the morning. I've received a sweet and refreshing peace that I want to hold on to forever. I felt a burden of perfectionism being lifted off of me, which I want to share about in a later post with you all.
Anyway I can go on and on about all the benefits I've received from this fast but I think you get it. And I hope you might even dare and try this out for yourself and if you do I would LOVE to hear about your experience! If you haven't subscribed to the email list then please do! We can stay in touch and communicate easier that way. Blessings dear friends!
Natty