Mind - Going Dark
Having spent the last nearly two years immersed in the self-improvement and personal development side of the internet and media in general (not complaining, as it’s been a crucial part of my continued growth and recovery), I have made the decision to take a hiatus from engaging with certain materials. What this looks like for me, as someone who needs structure and enjoys having a plan, is going completely and totally dark on all social media on the weekends, and deactivating certain subscriptions (which also allows me to save money—win win.)
It is less of an attempt reset as it is more of a yearning for a release from the strong tether I’ve developed consuming certain types of information. Sometimes what’s best to do is simply put that phone down. I feel the urge to allow myself to actual digest the information, rather than binging it and not processing it properly. So, with that, this week’s prompt is to choose a day this week and disengage with social media. This isn’t saying don’t respond to necessary calls, nor is it intending to promote reckless abandon, but I do think if you can’t do what I’m calling a “media fast” for at least a day, you may have a bit of a consumption problem (dare I say—an addiction.)
Try it, see how it pans out. From what I experienced, all of the priorities came to the forefront and all of the things that didn’t really matter just kind of fell away/out of my view. It was deeply refreshing. I plan to continue this practice for as long as I can.
Body - Editing
As someone who is fascinated by gastronomy and nutrition, I am constantly pushing and pulling certain ingredients or styles of exercise in order to feel out what my body responds the best to (because this changes with age, month-to-month, and with any new element that is added to my life—be it romance or work stress.)
Something I’ve noticed I need to reduce is my consumption of caffeine. It has come to my attention that I ingest around 600mg (which is allegedly the limit of what is considered to be healthy) of it a day (so 6-7 cups of coffee.) Vague recommendations aside, it has started to give me jitters and a baseline nervous energy that is not very pleasant. And so, my remedy for this has been to buy a bag of decaf pre-ground coffee, as well as some caffeine-free teas that are quite tasty.
Prompt this week is to edit one thing out of your diet.
Spirit - Let it go
Sometimes the healthiest thing we can do is simply letting it go. Whatever it is, let it go. Whether it is a story you have tell yourself about who you are supposed to be that’s making you feel trapped, or a past hurt that throws you into a state of strewing frustration or resentment or anxiety. Is this easier said than done, oh yes, especially for those of us with any level of real trauma or who suffer from PTSD.
However, when it comes to the things we can control in our lives, what I’ve found is that my nervous system feels more calm, and my ability to truly enjoy and life and express true and deep gratitude has increased ten-fold.
And so the prompt this week is a bit of a harder one. That thought that you can’t stop ruminating over? Let it go. The way you should have responded to that person but did not have the courage to? Let it go. Who you thought you would be “by now”, and all of the projections you have accumulated that you then hang onto the word “me” (which is just the ego constructing itself), let those go. Be where you are now. Check your environment. Lean into the present moment and understand that from this point, and only this point, is the start of the rest of your life (dramatic, but technically true!)