I started doing this in 2016 when I noticed I was becoming way too addicted and I don’t even have an addictive personality. To get my Facebook fix, I would look at a few things, read a couple articles, put the phone down, and then not even two minutes later, I’m looking at it again. Why? What am I getting out of it? Seriously, why are we all staring at our phones?
Let’s compare it to food. Let’s say I just finished eating an entire meal with appetizer, main course and dessert. I’m satisfied and very full. Being out with friends makes it a special occasion so I indulge a bit. Once I get home, I’ve undone my pants so my belly can breathe a bit. Then, all of a sudden, I want more food. I’m super full, but I want more food. So, I order a pizza and eat the entire thing. This is what I was doing with Facebook on my phone. Unnecessary checking and rechecking. I’m “full” from my Facebook fix. I don’t need to check again, but I do.
Although my rule of thumb has always been to not look at the phone with my friends and I know I’m not that bad, but I do find my kids and husband get the short end of the stick because we live together. I can’t get this time back with them and I’m staring at a small device. I could be teaching my kids math and science. I could be doing something creative with them or for myself. I could be reading a book. I could be looking into my husband’s eyes. I could be enjoying a stress free moment because I’m not reading news from who knows where. The options are endless.
I removed it from my phone for two week stints and I couldn’t believe the freedom it brought. It’s now January 2017 and I’ve decided to take it off my phone permanently. I have more time for my family. I’m more peaceful. I’m not being pushed propaganda. My head is up. Observing. Noticing. Being more aware of my surroundings. I am WAY MORE productive and I’m living in the moment.
I remember the days when my sisters and I were kids and my mom or dad would bring a whole bunch of clean laundry to the living room and we would either “try” to help them fold a fitted sheet, watch them try, or laugh at them. We would lay on the ground beside the laundry on a Saturday and just be. I miss those days. Those days of Just Being. Dr. Wayne Dyer is the author of Being in Balance. 9 Principles For Creating Habits That Match Your Desires and he offers an excellent quote by one of his teachers. Nisargadatta Maharaj, a Hindu spiritual teacher.
There is nothing to do. Just be. Do Nothing. Be. No climbing mountains and sitting in caves. I do not even say “be yourself” since you do not know yourself. Just be.
I love this quote so much. Mostly because I’m always on the go and analyzing myself and thinking I need to be doing something else or accomplishing something. This quote brings me down a notch and has me focusing on what’s really important. I believe being happy is what’s really important. I want to be happy and I want to find it in this moment. In every moment.
I found that in addition to being addictive, Facebook and other social media platforms, make us feel inadequate. We end up in this vicious cycle of comparing ourselves to others. If we can just picture the idiotic-ness of someone trying to capture the perfect photo for their posts (I am guilty of this in the kitchen) it can help us realize that we have all become puppets to these devices. What is it all for? We are lost as a society of what is truly important. Can we take a moment and Just Be?
The Remove Facebook (Or Other Social Media Apps) From Your Phone Challenge
The Remove Facebook (or other social media applications) from your phone Challenge is here to test yourself. Test yourself to see if you have the courage and the balls to handle it. You may even be surprised at how empowering it is. Remove it for two weeks and re-evaluate. Here’s 5 Legit Reasons To Delete Facebook Mobile App From Your Phone.
If you belong to a couple of groups that are helpful to you, it doesn’t mean you have to cut yourself off. It means you check them during a time when there isn’t someone who deserves your attention more than Facebook. Use a laptop or desktop computer after you’ve gone through your day of responsibilities and set a time limit (i.e. 20-30 min). . Check Facebook, and then Just Be. Look around you and have a real conversation.
Some of my favorite Just Being moments include:
Drinking a cup of tea and staring off into nothing.
Lying on my back and lightly stretching and pondering my day.
Sitting on the couch in silence.
Lying in the grass.
Breathing deep.
Mindfully LISTENING to a conversation without adding your two cents (very hard for me, but I’m working on it).
For those of you who use social media for business purposes, I still suggest removing it from your phone. You can use Facebook apps specific to groups, Facebook messenger and Pages Manager instead of the main app if absolutely necessary. Set aside a time that you can do your work at a desk on a computer. When the work day is done, shut the social media off, grab your “non-Facebook” phone and go meet that friend for dinner or go watch your kid play soccer and see how much more present you are.
Empower yourself with this challenge and Just Be.
EAT MORE VEG, SWEAT and don’t forget to BREATHE.
Michelle GB