A Healthier Me and Other Things

No, I am not going to tell you about a new diet I have discovered or some wonderful exercise program I've committed to. I haven't started taking plexus or using essential oils nor have I found some magic pill or potion. Not that some of those things wouldn't be good for me, but I'm not actually talking about physical health. 

I've been thinking this post out in my mind for awhile now, while I secretly wait to see if I actually keep feeling the way that I've been feeling. (Yes, I'm a pessimist like that.) Sure as the world, if I put myself out there and say things, it will not last. Besides, is it really that important for the world - even my little corner of it - to know everything? When all is said and done, not really. 

Then again, maybe. Who is to say?

Long story short, I've been working on my social media addiction and *I think* I have stuck with it long enough to say that I feel like a different person.

If you read my daughter's article, you will remember the effects social media can have on your mind and life. I did not go whole hog like she did, and delete my accounts, but I have drastically reduced the time I spend on them. I have tried numerous strategies to accomplish this in the past, and have never been able to stick to my plan. This has been my latest arrangement. 

We have only ever had internet on our phones, but now have the ability to use hot-spot. I made the decision to delete my Facebook and Instagram apps on my phone, and only allow myself to access my accounts via hot-spot to the tablet. This does several things -- 1. My whole family knows my decision, therefore if I'm on the tablet, they all know I'm on social media. (That's called accountability.) 2. I have a limited amount of hot-spot usage per month, therefore I have an incentive to keep my social media visits brief. 3. It takes a minute to go through the process, therefore cutting out the mindless checking of social media when I have a free second. 

I credit the Brighter Winter reading challenge with giving me a taste of success. Let me explain. 

I had tried the whole deleting apps/ setting boundaries thing before. It never worked. I would always end up right back where I started. In January, when I decided to take up the reading challenge, I also chose to start my little media plan. Because I had something else to focus my free time on, I was able to stick to my disciplines for social media. And, because I stuck to them for pretty much two whole months, I got a taste of success and realized how much healthier I felt mentally. 

The best way to describe the effect of that taste of success, is 'the Matthew effect'. (See Google's definition). Better yet, go listen to  this video on the subject. 

Somehow, that victory in one area of my life, has given me energy for more victory. The cumulative effect is, I feel more alive and engaged with my life than I have in several years. There's more that I could say and maybe sometime I will try to describe what I'm talking about more fully. 

As Paul says, "Not as though I had already obtained, either were already perfect..."

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Just a few random photos...

I know I made it sound like spring was coming, but it sure has been taking its good old time! I would not be opposed to a few days of sunshine around here. 

We celebrated Jennifer turning fourteen and the girls had fun trying to replicate this photo from when she turned five...

Today we have a birthday boy turning nine, who could just hardly wait for this day! Legos are his biggest love these days and he doesn't believe he could ever have enough of them. 

*****

Very briefly, the four books I read in March:

The most entertaining...

Hadn't read an Anne book in years!

The most gripping/sad/ heartbreaking...

The most random!

I'm having a hard time getting books right now, because our library is going through some big change in their book lending system and isn't moving any books currently. I listened to the Anne book because I couldn't find anything I had on my 'to read' list and I scanned a library shelf one day and found the "Called To Be Amish" book and randomly took it home to read. 

And now I must run along and eat cake and ice cream!