Digital minimalism
I've always loved rule-breakers. Rebellions, defiance, resistance, revolution. Even the (sometimes) simpler acts of defying social convention. When I witness resistance to the limiting social scripts we've been given and see someone chart their own course based on their values and the pull of their heart, my heart rejoices.
As someone who attempt to live my life with as much intention as possible, I examine the scripts I've been given from family, culture, religion, society, social media, etc. and attempt to only keep the scripts that are truly serving my personal liberation, and the liberation of others. I invest time and effort to clarify the values I hold most dear and work to ensure my thoughts, words, and actions are in line with those values. Mistakes are often made, as are downright failures, and when that happens those close to me hold me accountable and pull me back towards center. Sometimes I realize when I'm off course all on my own, as I did this past spring when I began to fully comprehend how my relationship with social media & my phone was not in line with my values and was in fact, sucking the soul out of me.
My social media behavior had spiraled into mindless. Too much time spent scrolling, checking FB & IG every time I had a spare moment, stressing about what to post/how often to post/why the F am I even posting in the first place. I didn't like the way social media was impacting my mood and energy. I didn't like that in beautiful moments I would find myself thinking, 'this would make a good IG story,' and how it would distract me from enjoying that present moment. I didn't like how I'd let it's influence interfere with my cultivated gratitude practice as comparison would sneak its way in through the polished lens presented by other people...and I didn't know how to participate in that same 'polish' in a way that felt genuine. So, I decided to fully remove myself from the world of social media while exploring the concept of digital minimalism. I vowed to not return until I had gained perspective & clarity on how to navigate social media in a way that supported my values.
Enter in, "Digital Minimalism; Choosing a Focused Life in a Noisy World," by Cal Newport. This book provided a framework to understand our complicated relationship with modern technology and gave me the tools I needed to (re) build a relationship with technology that will be intentional & in-line with my values. The author makes a strong case for removing all non-essential technology for a month. Within that month you focus on clarifying your values, connecting to your passions/hobbies, participating in active leisure, and exploring solitude. Most impactful for me personally? The author pointed out how being extremely intentional in the midst of an attention driven economy isn't just a commonsense adjustment, but a bold act of resistance. "Companies like Facebook are masters in the art of'attention engineering. They have figured out how to exploit psychological vulnerabilities to trick users into spending far more time on these services than they actually intend." These companies make big money by exploiting our deep human needs for connection & belonging. They have crafted an illusion around their services somehow meeting those needs, when in reality, research is now showing quite the opposite.
The idea that social media is adding value to our lives and fulfilling our deepest needs for connection and belong has become a new social script. My ask is that you be a rule-breaker. What technologies have infiltrated your life and are they truly adding value? If so, are you using them in a way that is in line with your values or is their constant chatter distracting you from focusing on the things that matter most? Are you mindful or mindless in your use of the tech & apps? How big is your sense of panic when momentarily separated from your phone? Digital minimalism isn't about being a Luddite, it's about ensuring the way we use the technologies that surround us are actually improving the quality of our lives and enhancing our expansion as a soul on this planet. Put more simply, is the technology you're using making you a better human being?
To rule-breaking & re-writing scripts!
~Maria