recently, I’ve been learning to find delight in the simple pleasures that oft get lost in the busyness of life. in my attempt to tune out the noise of the world, I’ve been trying to learn how to really just enjoy simple things like reading a book or finishing a hot cup of coffee (after a few nukes in the microwave of course.) one way I’ve been attempting this is by minimizing my social media use (presence?)
whatever it’s called.
In this day and age of social media – there is an ever-growing urge and need to share (and over-share – aka me), almost to the point where our mentality has become “if you didn’t post about the meal, did you really eat it?” or “if you didn’t take and post a selfie or story at the x, y and z location, did you even go?” I am definitely guilty of succumbing to that way of thinking.
for the last few months, I’ve been slowly trekking through a book called “12 ways your phone is changing you” and like a skillful and meticulous surgeon’s knife to my heart it has been exposing so many hidden sins and ideologies that I was either unaware of or was too proud to acknowledge. I am nearly done with it and yet I am often hit with fresh conviction whenever I browse through the hundreds of quotes I’ve highlighted throughout the pages. It addresses how our phones (or namely, social media) gives way to a false sense of community while being isolated in the privacy of our own devices (literally), how it feeds our FOMO, our need for belonging and being “in the know”, and other sins like envy and the snare of compare. Ultimately it shows how it inevitably serves as a distraction from what’s truly important and of eternal significance. It’s been great!
some noteworthy quotes:
the human appetite for distraction is high in every age, because distractions give us easy escape from the silence and solitude whereby we become acquainted with our finitude, our inescapable morality and the distance of God from all our desires, hopes and pleasures..
I need to pause to say, that I still do very much enjoy social media (esp. instagram!!) but I would be lying if I said that these quotes did not cause me to pause. I don’t think social media, or many of the things we find delight in for that matter, are inherently bad in and of itself but it is noteworthy to consider and pause! The next quote was very relatable for me personally:
What I was most afraid of missing out on was not information, but affirmation. I discovered how attached, or maybe addicted, I was to the small daily dose of reassurance that other people ‘like’ me and ‘follow’ me…This desire for personal affirmation is perhaps the smartphone’s strongest lure, and it is only amplified when we feel the sting of loneliness or suffering in our lives. At the first hint of discomfort, we instinctively grab our phones to medicate the pain with affirmation. This habit could not be more damaging.
As of late, I’ve been practicing something called screen-free Sundays. I delete all social media apps off my phone and try to keep my handheld device perpetually out of reach (in another room or attached to a charger upstairs) and it has been transformative to say the least. it’s been exciting, rewarding and eye-opening to see how much of an impact this simple act makes on my day-to-day!
Being on my phone less has granted me more time to spend engaging and playing with my kids, having more meaningful conversations with my husband of a few words (lol) and focusing on things that I’ve been wanting to do more of this year like playing with my kids more, prayer, memorizing more scripture, listening to more podcasts and reading more books. I’ve enjoyed the simple pleasures of sitting outside with a good book and a cup of coffee while my kids play (instead of staring into my screen for the entire hour they are playing outside) or even being able to just sit in silence and take in the joys of simple pleasures like enjoying a beautiful day with good weather and even asking my kids random questions and playing silly games like “read my lips” (LOL) it sounds so cheesy but it’s really been so wonderful.
More than anything, my mind has been more clear and my heart less restless. less distracted. more focused. less focused on self. more aware of others. more productive (duh) and for once in my adult life, I have been sleeping more (most days, at least)
Maybe the effectiveness of this action would vary depending on how easily you’re distracted (me), how addictive your personality can be (also me) or how much of your time, energy and thoughts are regularly spent distracted by things that don’t matter a whole lot ( me again) but it’s been a refreshing change for me and a great way to start this new year. one thing I am always fighting for is more soberness on a day-to-day and this small change has helped me make strides to that end! thank God!
I’m hoping that as I keep this (read:minimizing phone use) to a minimum —that I’ll continue to be able to allot that time, thought and energy into people, relationships and things that matter most – and that it would help me to care for my family + home with more intentionality and love + serve God and others more wholeheartedly and without distraction, as I minimize my looking down to look up at the opportunities that are right in front of me. I’m also looking forward to get back into hobbies that I’ve neglected and goals that I’ve forgotten about like watercoloring, lettering, embroidery, learning guitar/piano/ukelele etc. (hooray!)
cheers to “looking up” more this year.
“One of the great uses of Twitter and Facebook
John Piper (additions + emphasis, mine)
[and Reddit and Youtube and Instagram and Netflix] will be to prove at the Last Day
that prayerlessness was not from lack of time.”
—
ps. one of my resolutions for this year has been to read more books (10 at least) and I’m so thankful to say – that with this small change in lifestyle (is that what I would call it?) – I’m currently reading my 4th of 2020!
would love to share the rest of my resolutions on another day..
until then!
life with the tsengs 