This weekend, I tried an interesting experiment: Social Media-Free Sunday.
As I wrote in Yoga Mind, sometimes it’s good to exercise a little Patyahara, or giving the senses some quiet time. I love seeing what everyone’s up to, but I do find myself scrolling…scrolling…scrolling… The next thing I know, a lot of time has gone by, and I’m left wondering what has happened, and how I became so mesmerized by hundreds of images flashing by my eyes.
Studies show that the longer we spend on social media, the more likely we are to feel depressed. With that in mind, I’m trying to scroll more mindfully—stopping in the evening, and leaving Sundays for dreaming about creating art like this beautiful crochet piece. I saw it draped over a bench in Asbury Park, NJ. I would love to make something like this! And I want to write another book! But I won’t get there by whiling (or wasting) away hours online.
Within just one Sunday, I felt much more at ease. My thinking was calm, not scattered. I felt like I had more time. I read, I crocheted, I relaxed. It was wonderful enough to want to do it again, and even extend going social media-free to evenings, too.
I love social media in the sense that it allows me to see what everyone is up to, and to be inspired by beautiful images. I just want to engage with it more mindfully.
For more about Pratyahara and 29 other spiritual tools designed to help you live more fully, get your copy of Yoga Mind here.