I recently jumped back into the world of the smart phone after a couple of years of only having a nokia brick phone. I thought I was doing pretty well at keeping the balance and not spending too much time scrolling, posting, messaging...
And then I spent a glorious week in a field with a few hundred lovely humans who were all committed to being off phones for the week, and i felt my nervous system settle. I felt myself gradually, slowly arrive more fully into the present moment, with the people i was with, in the place where i was, with no desire to be anywhere but there. I had space and time to think, dream, imagine... without constant distraction and fragmented ideas coming from 100 different directions!
When the week was up, i had no desire to look at my phone, much less check my facebook.
We've been home a week now and i still dont want to open fb or instagram. I am more available to my kids. More present to my own feelings and needs. More aware of what jobs need doing and not wasting countless moments constantly checking my phone or inventing interesting things to post on social media.
A friend who is also a therapist recently highlighted to me how contradictory it is to be using social media platforms to talk about, promote or grow community around 'wellbeing'. Because fundamentally, these platforms are not good for our general well being, and whilst they may serve a purpose, we probably all would like to be spending much less time on them and more time in the real world with real people doing things we truly love.
So I am working towards minimising my personal presence and my business presence on social media. (facebook and instagram for now...)
I still want to be found online. I still want people to know I'm here in the real world holding:
Pregnancy Circles
Birth Story Sharings
Antenatal Classes for Couples
Mother and Baby Groups
Mother Circles
Grief Support for Pregnancy Loss
and of course Full Spectrum Doula services, including Pregnancy, Birth, Postpartum, Miscarriage and Baby loss support.
I'm here for it all. But i want to spend my life in the real world with real people, not stuck glued to a phone screen!
So here are three simple things you can do if you'd like to know about anything I'm running in the near or distant future:
1. Join my whatsapp group:
This will NOT be a discussion group, only I will post in it, a maximum of once per week to share news and upcoming events, courses and gatherings.
(N.B. all courses that i run have their own community whatsapp groups for sharing and keeping in touch with others but for the main whatsapp group i want to keep it streamlined so no-one is flooded with messages they don't want!)
You are free to come and go at any time, no hard feelings. I fully respect and encourage healthy phone boundaries!
2. Join my Mailing List
I send a monthly email with a little update from me and some upcoming events.
3. Check out my website now and from time to time when you're seeking anything relevant to holistic pregnancy, mothering, community, etc.
All my group offerings are on the home page and easy to find. All my 1:1 offerings are in the services section.
Simple!
Drop me a DM with your phone number and/or your email and I will add you in!
I leave you with this question:
If you had 30 minutes extra each day to do with as you please, what would you choose to do?
I wonder if you might carve a little more time for yourself and the things and people you love, even if it is in 2 minute chunks!!
Love and respect to all, Laura x
Comments