I Did This ONE THING During This Time and It Changed My Life Forever

I never imagined that through this time of #quarantine that I would have made such a huge change in my life. I’m not a big fan of change, are you? And the things that have stayed the same during this pandemic has brought me comfort. So, I never thought I’d make another change by choice…but I did, and I’ve never been happier.

Now, you may already be doing this, and I’m late to the party, but hang in there with me and read to the end.

Why? Well, why not?

This really helped me and maybe it can help you too.

Connection.

I crave connection.

I love hanging out with my husband and catching up with friends. And I love to see what my family and friends are posting on social media. So every notification on my phone pulled me in like a fish caught on the line. But just like a fish that’s been caught, is it really good for me to be caught?

I did some serious thinking about this and how my phone was drawing me in throughout the day, every day. I started thinking about how much I was missing by not being present. I started thinking about if this was enhancing my life or not.

After deliberation, I felt like it was adding to my life and it was enjoyable for me to keep up with “the world” via scrolling. All the pictures are so much fun to look at.

Subsequent to doing some digging I found out that the more people are on social media the more lonely they feel, and the more depressed they become. But, not me, or so I thought.

I decided to do an experiment with myself….

For one week I would only go on social media for a minimal time in the morning and that would be it for the rest of the day. No matter how many notifications popped up on my phone I would not look until the next morning. I did this for a week and then another and then another.

The results have totally surprised me.

Let’s put it this way, if my happiness meter was at a 5 before I’d say it’s now at a 10. My level of contentment and happiness has doubled. Doubled.

I may have thought I was not affected by social media all day but boy was I wrong.

This is what I came to realize…

I’d go on my phone when I was bored. If I felt antsy or restless the phone always filled my time.

I’d go on my phone when I felt lonely. Feeling sad or alone my phone was always there to fill in the gabs.

I’d go on my phone when I longed for connection. Anytime I felt I wanted to connect with someone, it didn’t take any effort, all it took was a swipe.

I’d go on my phone when I felt happy. Good news? Share it with the world, right? So they can celebrate with you. And to be fair, they mostly they did.

To sum it up, I went on my phone looking for something, whether it was fun or connection or comfort I was looking for something.

Here’s what happened…

It didn’t give me what I was looking for. It left me empty.

If I were bored, I wasn’t any less bored after scrolling.

If I felt lonely, I was more lonely.

If I longed for connection, I rarely felt a sincere connection with another.

If I felt happy or wanted to celebrate, I never got a real high five or a hug, and often felt not as happy after putting the phone down.

Whatever I was looking for I always came up short.

After I stopped going on my phone, anytime I’d feel differing emotions like sad or lonely or joy I’d reach out for real contact and I was never disappointed. It was more effort but I’d reach out for real human connection, and my heart got filled every time.

Looking at myself, and allowing myself to feel whatever each day brought, without running to my phone as a smoke screen, changed my life forever. And I am not turning back. I am more present and I am enjoying life 100% more.

How about you?

Try this experiment with yourself and see if it does what it did for me. This one thing could change your life.

Let’s take this opportunity to connect with those we love the deepest and be fully present.

There’s no better time to work on your relationships. Order a copy of “From Me to We” or “The Intimacy You Crave: Straight Talk about Sex and Pancakes” by Lucille Williams and begin to make changes today. Subscribe to LuSays for weekly encouragement.