A 10 Day Social Media Fast

“Participate in a 10 day social media fast and any media that may bring impure thoughts to your mind. The affects may surprise you.. what do you notice after taking a break from perspectives of the world that have been wounding your spirit? Is there a change in where you now want to spend your time and energy? Have any of your priorities shifted just a little? I urge you to record and follow through with each impression.” -President Russell M. Nelson

I kept a little “record” of my 10 day social media fast. Here it is!

DAY 1:

• Today I deleted the Instagram app off of my phone. Along with SEVERAL more apps. If I don’t use them regularly- I deleted them!

• I finished listening to the rest of General Conference! Such amazing talks, I’m so glad I listened to them.

• I went through and deleted junk emails and unsubscribed from 50 plus email subscriptions (how in the world do all these places have my email anyway!?)

• I organized my pantry! Holy smoly, I can’t stop walking into my kitchen just to look at my pantry. I threw out lots of foods, spices, and boxes.

DAY 2:

• FINALLY organized bank stuff

• Today while walking to my car from the gym (long walk because its at a University) I walked to my car with my head up, and realized how many people were walking with their head down.

• I’m realizing that I am not constantly being entertained.

• I feel the spirit right now. Really strongly. Jake is in the room on the phone with family laughing, I’m on the couch reading scriptures (trying to read The Book of Mormon by the end of the year) and there is soft classical music in the background. This moment right now. Is so peaceful… I don’t get these moments while scrolling through Instagram.

• I’m wondering, “How do I even have time for social media? Because it is being used during moments that could be used to reflect. It’s good to be bored. It leads to reflection thus inspiration.”

DAY 3:

• Had a very inspiring dream last night. Probably because the last thing I saw before going to sleep wasn’t my phone.

• The word, “peace” keeps coming to my mind today.

• Jake and I laughed all night long! Hahaha we opened up his, “memories box” and read through his journals when he was little boy. Sooo cute!

• Tonight Jake and laid in bed reading! I read my scriptures then read a super fun and yummy recipe book (anyone else like reading recipe books???) I haven’t missed social media! Its nice, we were in bed by 10:00.

DAY 4:

• Usually right now, after class, is when I go to my car and make a post on what I learned in my Body Image class. But nope! No social media! Instead I read my cousins email! He is currently serving a 2 year mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in Louisiana! (what a cool place!?) I was reading his letters he’s been writing. (He writes one letter a week and his mom forwards them to all the family) His letters are so good! I really felt inspired to just be a better person reading them. I also wrote him an email.

• I still had time in between my classes so I read some research! Awesome research on Body Image, Health At Every Size, and Eating Disorders. Reading about how Positive Body Image and Eating Disorder are completely different. I love reading different perspectives, it widens my vision and deepens my understanding in what I believe. This journal article is probably my absolute most favorite I have read! (If you want it, shoot me a message and I’ll send it to you 🙂

• Incredible. This was probably the greatest 10 minutes I’ve had all week. All at stop lights. 3 different stop lights.

Stop light #1

I’m at the light, and 2 punk kids crossed the street in front of me. (Yes. I judged them.) Big baggy pants down low, tattoos all over, hats sideways, big overly sized t-shirts, just your typical looking, “punk kids.” There was a blind man crossing the street coming the other way. I noticed he slowly started to veer more and more off of the crosswalk and into oncoming traffic. The light turned green. I was in the front. The blind man was now in front of my car in rush hour traffic. I didn’t go, (obviously) and neither did the car next to me. I was praying that no one would honk because it would scare and startle the sweet elderly man. I was about to get out of my car to lead him back to the sidewalk, and suddenly the two “punk kids” (that I totally judged) turned around and with big smiles both took the elderly man by the arm and lead him to the sidewalk. I teared up.1- because I learned my lesson not to judge 2- because it was such a tender Christ like moment I got to watch. Seriously, those 2 kids were and are angels.

Stop light #2

The very next light I saw a nice looking, clean cut, middle aged man dressed up in a very nice suit. He was happy and smiling. He looked smart! He was a with a teenage boy at the temple. The boy did not look like he could be his son…. the middle aged man must of been this kids church leader. The man was pointing to different buildings, enthusiastically. The kid with him was making facial expressions like, “wow! no way! cool!” You could see him asking questions. What stood out to me, was the kid looking up. He was looking up to this man… in every way. How neat. This man taking the time to be a role model for this kid.

Stop light # 3

I saw on the corner, outside of a restaurant a lady with her husband. They were waiting to cross the street. The lady leaned down and grabbed something for another lady in front of her. She must of dropped something. How awesome? Yes I’m a people watcher, and yes I go on Instagram during long stop lights, so without Instagram to distract me at the stop lights, it was amazing to see one kind act of service after another. I find that the times I go on Instagram the most, is when I have nothing to do. So its fun to see the things I see when I am bored.

• UMMM OKAY WHAT IN THE WORLD?! HURRICANE MICHEAL!? Yeah, so I miss out on  world events without social media!! So sad! Didn’t even hear or know about it until the day after.

DAY 5:

• Today at work I played games with the patients instead of going on my phone. At work when the patients have free time, we go behind the desk and take our little “breaks” from work. Which consist of like 5-10 minutes on our phones. Instead of going on my phone, I played cards with patients! It was fun! We laughed and joked and had a great time.

• Reading The Book of Mormon every night has been hard sometimes! I get home from work at 11:30 exhausted.

• I find as I discipline myself to read my scriptures, disciplining myself to do other things comes easier… such as wake up early, workout daily, get studying done.

DAY 6:

• Detoxed the house in between classes instead of posting! Got a lot done! No distractions! Got 7 boxes ready to donate! 7!

DAY 7:

• I baked! Homemade treats galor! So fun baking again! I love baking. Fun to find the things I do when I think I am “bored.”

• I cheated a little… I went on Instagram. I didn’t see or read any posts. I’m in a detox mood, so  I went straight to my “following” and unfollowed 600+ Instagram accounts. Nothing personal towards anyone in particular. I just feel like I was getting too much information. Do I really need 900 different peoples opinions? Do I really need to keep up with 900 peoples lives, food, day, and workout routine? No.. It’s just too much for me is all.

DAY 8:

• Came home during my class break to organize and clean the house again! Detoxing every part of my life and it feels so good! My rule of thumb right now is to only keep things in my life that bring me joy and value. Even the simplest things such as a t-shirt.

DAY 9:

• Listened to Christmas music today.

• Feeling the spirit very strong this morning.

• During the day I get excited to go to bed and read my scriptures.

DAY 10:

• Well the social media fast is done!
• I don’t miss it, and I’ve kind of forgot about it.

What do you notice after taking a break from perspectives of the world that have been wounding your spirit?

Is there a change in where you now want to spend your time and energy?

Have any of your priorities shifted just a little?

Reflection: This was a fast, so it wasn’t meant to be forever. It was meant for me to take a step back, and see how my time is spent in those moments I normally go on social media. I noticed that the only time I have to go on social media is on-the-go and when I am bored. Side note: I realized that this is why I am not very consistent in posting on my Health account:/ I also knew that I could have easily just downloaded a game on my phone, or gone on Pinterest instead of social media. I could have found another way to distract and entertain myself during those “on the go” or “bored” moments. But I didn’t want to cut corners.

I wanted to be bored.

I wanted silence.

And it was often in those moments that I allowed myself to be bored, that I gained deep inspiration and felt that inner and higher level of happiness. Joy and gratitude. I felt the pure love of Christ more throughout my day.