Week One Of Lent Down, On To Week Two

 I thought being more mindful of social media would be harder than it is.  Sometimes I forget and start checking it, only to remember, then I shut it down right away.  But I don't miss it as much as I thought I would. I think the times when I'm bored (like right now during my son's tutoring session) is when I miss it the most.  But I don't miss all of the news, all of the sad things, all of the infighting.  I guess I also don't miss all of my FOMO.  Man, I never really realized how even some of the positive accounts I follow make me feel bad.  Perfectly curated houses, perfectly curated children, perfectly curated everything.  This isn't on them, it's on me.  I look at myself and say "What a mess.  I've got to do better".  But honestly, I am doing my best.  And I may not be perfectly curated, but I'm doing ok.  And that's OK. But one of my New Years goals was to slow down and take more time for me and find more peace in my life.  I never really realized that I wasn't doing that until I lessened my social media usage.  All the noise is too much for peace.  And I didn't really realize that until I took a step back.

This is from my reading today and it really hit me.  (Lenten Reading: Media Fasting - Six Weeks To Recharge In Christ).  

Another thing that I have realized since starting Lent and implementing another Lenten penance is that I have really been fooling myself about my "healthy" life style.  There are things that I really didn't want to look at.  I didn't want to look at them because they might be hard, they might be ugly, they might not be what I want.  But I think it's what I need.  And it is hard.  But that is what Lent is all about.  It's doing the hard thing that brings you closer to God.  It's letting go of things that are coming between you and your relationship with God. And I've been cheating myself by not doing the hard thing.  When it's hard, that's when you pray.  That's when you call on God to get you through.  I can't do all things.  But God can.  I rely too much on my own strength, and I'm not as strong as I think I am.  And I certainly don't have all the answers. I'm pretty good about praying for others. And I'm good as praying to God to ask for things that I want.  I'm not so good at praying to God and asking for his help.  I always think that I have to push myself and do it alone.  That is such a lie.  I still have to push myself, but I need to ask for Gods help while doing it.  

Who would think that I would get to the ripe old age and would be still figuring this out? I'm sure I'll forget again. That's what we do. Our brains want to choose the easy.  So I'm learning this lesson and I'm writing down right here for my future self.  

I sat on the front porch with a cup of tea and a book this morning.  Normally I would have sat there scrolling my phone.  I would have missed the peace that came with sitting there quietly, with my Lenten reading, and taking 20 minutes to just be.  I think I'm going to do this again tomorrow. 

Lent 2025: Fasting From Social Media

 One of my new years resolutions this year was to slow down.  I had a mild health "thing" in November and it's because I'm going too fast and doing too much.  I am part of the sandwich generation.  We not only have children to take care of but elderly family members too.  Sometimes it can seem overwhelming, but it's really up to me to make sure it all works, without taking a toll on my health.  I can do it.  I just need to be mindful of it.

Lent starts tomorrow, but one of the things that I'm "giving up" for Lent is social media/phone time.  It has become such a crutch for me.  It's my place to escape when I feel overwhelmed, bored, anxious, or just plain empty.  I'm not giving it up 100%.  I still need it for email, phone calls, texts, and news alerts (today is 60 degrees and feels like spring, but this is Ohio and I know the snow isn't over yet).

But my plan is to set time limits to it.

I will check it when I first get up, at noon, and in the evening at 6 or 7 o'clock depending on the kids activities that I have to go to and from.  I never have my ringer on anyway, so binging and chiming won't make me want to check it.  My Fitbit usually lets me know if I have a text or a call and I can gate keep through that.  My parents don't have texting and they only have Facebook Messenger so I may have to adjust things so that if I have the sound up on the phone, that is the only alert I will get.  

So what will I be spending all that free time doing instead of doom scrolling?

1. More prayer.  Every time I have an urge to check that phone, I will say a prayer.

2.  Cleaning and organizing.  I need to do this for my own sanity.  We actually still have a Christmas tree up in the basement.  Don't judge me.

3.  Reading.  I love reading, but I just don't have the time for it because my phone use is getting in the way.

4.  Writing.  Either journaling or on the this blog.  I love writing and I miss it so much.  I need to get back to doing what I want to do and stop letting that phone take up my precious time.

5.  Learning to just be still, enjoy whatever the moment is, and listen for God's voice.  

I have a few other things planned for Lent but they involve food and alms giving.  While difficult, I don't think they will be as life giving as the decrease in phone time.

I started reading Media Fasting: Six Weeks to Recharge in Christ so I'm hoping that it will help me get through these six weeks, but also help me to make this be a full time life change.