At this writing, I am 165 days into my year-long social media sabbatical and I still get responses that sound a lot like – WOW or That’s Intense or You Are So Brave! or That’s Amazing! – all of which seem to be significant reasons to maybe give up social media for good, don’t ya think? Stepping away from the stream or madness shouldn’t be arduous and is certainly not an act of courage.
Are you sick and tired of being sick and tired of the vitriol and your own addiction to either watching the dumpster fire or participation in planning the flames? Maybe you’ve considered going on a digital detox? Good idea! But, what will you do with all of that extra time?
Here’s a random list of 25 things to do instead of scrolling and trolling…
Make and keep a junk journal made just for this occasion
Use DuoLingo to practice a new language when the urge to go go gadget gets me
Learn the names of plants, trees and birds that you see on your daily routes
Learn about the national parks in your region
Complete at least 10 things on Keri Smith’s list
Ride a bicycle somewhere you’ve never visited
Make things with clay, paper and thread for folks you love
Craft poems, prayers for deep thoughts by Jack Handy and don’t post them on the interwebs
When you don’t know something, check out a book, consult a dictionary or ask a person, not Google
Visit the a botanical garden a few times each season
Learn everything you can about the divine feminine as understood in different traditions
Read a book written by someone well outside of your cultural context
Learn some creative hand lettering and create affirming signs for your window
Take, edit and print photos instead of sharing on Instagram
Cut up old t-shirts and learn how to quilt, starting with a pet blanket
Notice and appreciate the changes in your body without joining a “women over 50” Facebook support group
Write letters, on paper, with a pen – buy stamps and mail to people you love
Try yoga again without complaining on Twitter about how hard it is
Build a table-top zen garden with a cairn of wee tumbled stones
Listen to a once-beloved CD all the way through without skipping a track
Fill a sketchbook with one thing you want to draw well
Sit quietly doing nothing
Look at everything
Think you own thoughts
Write
