In 2016 I deleted my Facebook and Instagram account. At a glance it would seem crazy to do so, as both paid a huge part in the operation of my business. I did have a slight panic at first but later experienced much more gains than losses.
The constant desire to check my notifications evaporated, my time became mine again, and it opened up opportunities to live life in a more decluttered way. I picked up hobbies such as gardening, and never looked back. While social media and online browsing can be good, I wonder if we have lost out on the very key elements that make us human. Real conversations, real downtime, and real peace. After about a month offline, I realised that I wasn’t missing much, in fact, I felt powerful. Knowing that my ideas are now my own and not on display gave me a sense of freedom. I was able to build a successful authentic life offline and this became my new luxury.
Interestingly enough, this is how life used to be, but how quickly the trends change the patterns and currents of our lives. Many have become so entangled by the double tap, the swipe and the likes that they have lost all awareness of the real joys in life. Going for walks, meeting real people, and having real experiences. I used to joke and say the world is going to be taken over by robots. Hello Google. But not only that, we too have become somewhat robot like in our patterns, our tendencies and in our lifestyles.
I challenge you today to attach your existence to something more meaningful than a digital stream, reconnect with nature, with people and with life.
This is not how your story ends;
Written by Steve Whyte
Originally published at journal.thriveglobal.com