Just because everyone else is doing it, doesn't mean you have to too.

I finally ditched my iPhone and boy oh boy does it feel amazing! My guess is most of you didn't even know they still made flip phones, did you? I had been contemplating it for quite some time now, and after watching The Social Dilemma last weekend, it only solidified my choice. I highly recommend you watch this if you haven't yet.

I have been doing massive work on cleaning up the things in my life which do not serve me well. Limiting time on my phone has always been a top priority, and I've never been one of those inconsiderate assholes who stares at their phone when face to face with another person, but I still felt like my phone was a distraction. No matter how many times I put my phone on "do not disturb", set use limits on social media apps or left it in my office at 8pm each night, I would still hit 3-4 hours of screen time each day. Not only was that a waste of my most valuable resource, my time, but it was also keeping me overly connected.

If I were to list out all of the traits I dislike most, the things I would teach my own daughter to avoid, they would include: impatience, the need for constant entertainment, seeking the approval of others, lack of focus, inability to problem solve, allowing others to take control of your life, the need to be constantly engaged with others....the list goes on and on.

All of these things are nicely packaged in this pretty little device we all carry around with us everywhere we go. While technology has most certainly made life easier, it isn't used merely as a tool anymore, it is a lifeline. A lifeline that is contrary to what human beings need. We are not wired to be connected to everything in the world for hours on end. Our minds are not equipped to take in the events of the entire world 24/7. We don't need to be connected to others in group chats or social media all throughout the day. It is not only a distraction, but destructive to our very being. The more time we spend staring into a screen, which by the way is controlled entirely by big tech companies we all claim to despise, the less time we are actually being humans. Being still and silent, getting fresh air and moving, eating real food, connecting with other humans, face to face and engaging in real conversations. Learning to communicate and think for ourselves, by reading, writing without a program telling us how to write, and connecting to our local communities where events directly impact us the most.

Just because the world is choosing to turn their lives over to their phones, I decided I'm not going to follow the herd. I bought a flip phone, call people when I need to talk to them and limit my texting to when I am sitting at my computer during work times. I'm writing my book on my beautiful 1962 Hermes' 3000 typewriter because I do not need a computer to dictate the voice in which my writing projects. I have a dictionary to look up words. It has served the world since 1604 so I figured it's probably good enough for me in the present. Google does not have the right to ownership of my work, which is their newest policy for docs., drives, etc. in case you didn't read the fine print in their latest policy update.

I'm no longer allowing an algorithm to determine who I correspond with, what news I read, what information I'm exposed to, or how many friends I have.

I took my life back from big tech and it feels amazing. When I look around me now and see everyone's head buried in a device, it almost makes me chuckle. Grown adults, scrolling or tapping away like impetuous children who need constant entertainment. No thanks, I don't want any part of it.

I went back to what technology was originally designed to do: make my life easier, not rob me of it.