10 days without social media and the news was much more difficult than I realized it would be. Yes, I was on a Germany/France travel tour during this time, but I had a good international data plan of 3 gigs, in which I only used 1.3. When I'm on trips I tend to check Facebook and news even more, so I feel a connection back home and still know what's going on. My Aunt was suppose to room with me, but she got sick just before the trip, so I had my own room and time to myself. The hardest was yesterday when coming back. From leaving the Paris hotel to getting home, my parents and I, and those on the tour, traveled 27 hours. We had a 6 1/2 hour layover in Charlotte NC. I wanted to break my fast so bad, but stayed strong. (Though, admittedly, I did hit the Facebook icon on my phone twice out of habit, saw a family post, and quickly left.)
What did I learn?
I seriously have an addiction. Pressing the FB app icon is a habit, and until these last ten days I didn't realize how bad it was. It's something I'm going to keep working on. Reducing my Social Media time.
I found myself living in the moment.
Cutting myself off from everything helped me take the trip in and focus on what I was experiencing. The trip had highs and lows. There were set backs. Being apart of a tour has the good and the bad. Whoever booked the flights allowed only an hour layover in Dallas to catch a plane to Frankfurt. There were severe storms in TX that morning, setting our SLC plane back 1 1/2 hours. When we landed and waited 30 more minutes for a gate, the Frankfurt plane was loaded and had takeoff clearance--my Dad is a pilot and knows how to look this stuff up, and we later talked to those on that previously loaded plane--then all of a sudden everyone was taken off the plane due to mechanical problems, and the terminal reassigned from D to A, where our SLC plane was cleared to come into. So we made the flight. Crazy, right? And our Rhine cruise got stuck in Rudesheim Germany a couple nights, due to low water levels on the Rhine, but we had extra free time in the city because of it. There were good highlights as well. It was a rush, highlight trip, but it was nice being close to where my Stufflebeam (Stoppelbein) ancestors come from.
This time also allowed me to realize how much I need to cut current events out of my life, more like reduce my time studying it. I hate feeling out of touch, but I'm taking too much in, and news cycles repeat, constantly, and I get caught up in the repeat. Touch in/Touch out. Focus on what I can control. And don't let what I can't control, control me. Still, it's good being aware of what's on the horizon and what can affect me, but it's also good to focus on what's in my personal space and presence. There's a needed balance.
And I also felt strongly that I need to start taking my music and writing more seriously. Honestly, I haven't been as dedicated as I should be. Important life stuff has been going on, I was needed elsewhere, but now that certain things have ended this is my season of creativity. That's how I'm going to see it. Season of creativity. That sounds nice.
Anywho, this little experiment has been nice. Glad for the challenge.
No comments:
Post a Comment