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Eight months ago, I committed one of the greatest sins of mankind. Something so heinous it took my greatest adversaries off guard, wondering what could possibly have been so bad that I stoop to this level. So what was my super barbaric decision? I disconnected from social media. Goodbye Facebook, sayonara Instagram, ‘til next time Twitter. Ready to begin a new life free of chaos, corruption, and no shortage of interruption, I vowed to start a clean slate.
The decision to disconnect didn’t come as a surprise, thanks to the flurry of chatter from the start of the New Year. From politics to sports, entertainment and everything in between, it was hard to substantiate anything from the online world, as most of it was skewed opinion and/or visceral hate.
At first glance, it seemed rather dramatic to go offline without telling anyone because we all know the first thing that comes to mind is if ‘you are okay?’ But I was fine, completely fine and the coming days, weeks, and months would prove my life deserved more.
Disconnecting brought true meaning to my life. No longer did I feel the urge to post an update every dying second of the day, and it wasn’t necessary for me to check-in for the latest happenings around the globe. If I needed the news I would follow a reliable network. When the feeling of loneliness surfaced, a phone call to friends and family waived the sense of dissonance I once feared. For every perceived misfortune that came from logging off, a newfound benefit followed in its place.
Sleeping patterns had never been better, making my days infectiously positive and productive. I just didn’t give a damn. With nothing on the line and the ability to do whatever I wanted, whenever I wanted, I chose to dive head first into my physical, mental, emotional, and financial goals. Approaching them collectively like a diversified retirement account, making sure to have a healthy balance and see positive results would be the key to my success.
It’s funny, as a naturally productive person getting to work was never an issue. Then came this thing called reframing. For every moment of sadness, anger, weakness or generally anything taking away from happiness, I flipped the script forcing myself press on and see the positive in all my commitments.
Sleeping patterns changed substantially, workouts were more competitive, and my hunger for getting goals, meeting and exceeding them could never be satisfied. I was famished for even the smallest of tasks to accomplish; it was an addiction.
Eight months is a far cry from being perfect but before you write me off, take a second to think for yourself. Do you work better when stress is low? Are financial goals easier to maintain when there isn’t pressure to spend frivolously? Do feel more at ease when there is nothing to lose? Chances are you agree with at least two of the three assessments. If not, you may have some work to do.
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