The bucket list I created had both big and little things on it such as:
* Take a cruise - which I did last October
* Get a tattoo - check! (In honor of my son)
* Stop drinking soda - check although I have an occasional one when having pizza
* Visit my friend Michelle - check
* Feel healthier
* Donate my hair
* See Mariah Carey in concert - doing that in September! (She's really been on my life bucket list for YEARS)
And many others.
About a week before my birthday I decided I was going to take a social media hiatus for the first 40 days after my birthday, just for something different and to challenge myself with staying off of it. My birthday came and I had a fabulous day at work with colleagues who decided to treat me to all sorts of fun all day long from decorating my desk, yummy donuts, an amazing lemon cheesecake, lunch out, and so much more! My evening ended with attending church which has become our favorite thing to do on Thursday evenings. The next morning I woke up and the first thing I did was get on my phone and I deleted my Facebook and Instagram apps. I wanted all temptation to be gone for looking at them! It was actually such a freeing yet scary moment.
Today marks day 34 of no Facebook or Instagram. Now I will admit that I did get on Facebook one evening as we were having severe weather in the area. I like to follow the local meteorologists when that's happening because I don't always get the best channel reception from my antenna when the weather is bad. Other than that I have been off of them.
This little social media experiment has been an eye opener for me in several different ways. Some good, some bad. For the first time in years I have managed to find some books that I like and have read four different biography's so far which is unheard of for me. Then again for 6.5 years I was reading textbooks in my spare time so there wasn't time for pleasure reading! I have surprised myself with how much I really enjoy reading. My son has become an avid reader this summer as well and is flying through the Captain Underpants series as well as the Dog Man books. It's actually been fun to have family reading time in my bed every evening. We have also enjoyed many trips to Barnes and Noble....usually buying at least one book but sometimes just browsing and hanging out.
I've also noticed how much I am not holding my phone anymore, especially when I'm at home. Since I haven't been checking FB or Insta on a regular basis, I don't have my phone near me all the time. My son has picked up on that as well. I've always been good, at least I think I have, about not being on my phone when we are out and about doing things (other than to take pictures with it). One of my goals for 2018 is to be PRESENT, which means putting the phone down and just living in the moment. Less social media and more face-to-face is also on that list.
There's also been some not-so-good things that I have realized through this experiment as well. I'm not ready to dive into that and share that with the world just yet as it's a very personal thing that I am dealing with, along with some other things happening in my life. God is good though and I know that He has been with me throughout this entire season and has been revealing things to me that I needed to see but couldn't see before. Six more days to go and then we'll see how I feel about returning to the FB and Insta world. Maybe I will, maybe I won't.
Zephaniah 3:17 [Full Chapter]
The Lord your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves. He will take great delight in you; in his love he will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing.”
