I recently watched a short video-poem about turning off the devices and social media to truly live life in person. I thought, ‘yes, this man has a great point’! I think I’ll try it sometime but not today, I need my smart phone, I need to stay connected.

Less than 24 hours my smartphone crashed due to a software update. After trying every suggested fix I resorted to a visit to my wireless carrier whom could not fix it either. Only possible solution; a new replacement phone…in 3 days. THREE days without a cell phone! NO! How can I survive?! I use my phone for work as well as play. What will I do in my spare time?

Day 2 – I had to have my car inspected, while waiting in the appropriate area I found myself fidgeting, I didn’t know what to do. As I look around I see a table with magazines and a local weekly newspaper, read one? Nah, too outdated – it’s a week old! There are two other people there waiting, quietly ignoring each other. I look at my nails, I look at my old registration as if something new will catch my interest, I memorize the maintenance services menu; ugh, how can time pass so slowly? I wonder what is happening in virtual land?

An elderly woman walked in sharing her ‘dilemma’ about someone stealing her car and scraping off her sticker and putting last year’s sticker on in its place. She asked if they could print a copy of her 2014 sticker since she had the paperwork of her most recent inspection. Once the woman behind the desk got her situated and convinced that they can’t print copies she sat beside me and we began talking about refrigerators on the B H & G magazine she was flipping through. We talked, she released her stresses and lo and behold, my time was up! I made it through without a social media distraction and I was social in real life and it felt good!

I’m still without a phone, I have 24 hours to go and I know now that I can do this! I will make it a point to put down the electronic devices at least once a week from here on…for as long as I can stand it anyways; I’m setting intentions but I won’t make any promises.

Challenge yourself to this even if you do it for an hour a day or from 7:00pm on each night.

Try being disconnected from virtual land and reconnect with life!