This is my last post on social for a while.
[EDIT: This is in reference to Facebook, Instagram, etc. and I will still be using my blog normally – or more, now!]
Experiences as of late have made me very self-reflective — and a call to adventure has sprung forth.
By stepping away from social, I believe (and hope) that the result will be that I will actually DO more of the work I’ve identified as important, I’ll connect more deeply and meaningfully with people, and that I’ll create immense space for my heart, soul, and truth to surface (and be recognized by my conscious self).
I’ve felt massively out of alignment with the ways I’ve been living in my day to day.
I deflect my time and energy to low-value activities like scrolling Facebook (not even commenting or engaging in any way) and bouncing from one “inspired Youtube video” to the next – but never inspired enough to DO something about it.
I get overwhelmed with the volume of “lists” and “tabs” that I have – commitments that exist in my mind. New projects and intended “outreaches” that never see the light of day.
I spend so much time optimizing my day and schedule, so much time organizing my stuff, so much time creating lists and archiving things for later … that I never actually do what needs to be done.
I hardly, these days, actually take time for myself to even HEAR what is on my heart and soul. How can I hope to follow my heart if I’m distracting myself so much that I can’t even see where my heart is trying to go?
I’m already experiencing massive Resistance to this – and I know that it’s a sign that I’m on the right path: there’s a delightful whiff of “this is right” amidst the discomfort of this call to adventure.
Through this digital “decluttering & detoxing,” I’ll be selectively present in very few private online circles (Fear to F*ck It coming up this weekend to name one – PM me if you want to come hang out in one of my favorite experiences of the year [which I’ve helped build!] <3 ) … but otherwise completely disconnected from standard social media and entertainment platforms.
The intention is pro-actively, decidedly, and temporarily pulling back SO THAT I can create more space for things that feed my soul.
I strive to create space for more intentional, meaningful, and impactful connection with others:
• Face to face time.
• Phone & Zoom calls.
• Text messages.
• Emails.
• One-on-one messenger texts & voice notes.
And most importantly – more intentional, meaningful, and impactful connection with…
• Myself.
More time, space, and energy to put into:
• Dance
• Work
• Reading
• Projects
• Photography & Videography
• Writing
• Designing
• Mediation & Mindfulness
• Minimizing & Simplifying
• Exploring
• Connecting
I so rarely create space to hear my own heart and soul. When I don’t – my body enters a frantic, anxious state and it’s hard to operate from that place.
And I have been operating from that place 80% of my day. Every day.
So for the next 30(ish) days I will be “off” the following websites, at least:
• Facebook
• Instagram
• Youtube
• Netflix, Hulu, Disney+ (unless I’m with someone/a group as a social activity)
• Reddit
• Pinterest
In the same vein, I’ll also be giving up or drastically reducing time spent on borderline-addictive behaviors:
• Gaming (unless I’m with someone/a group as a social activity)
• Alcohol
• Pop
My Soul Circle helped me realize that I already am on the path of growth – and that this is just one part of the journey, not the start, not the end.
In my quest to becoming a more sovereign individual, with more personal agency, I need to step forward and experience the process rather than “think” about it.
For most of my life I’ve been very passive, waiting for “you” to give me the permission or the “woo awesome!” validation for what I want to do [or what I believe in] – and I strive, with efforts like these, to be more pro-active in my own life.
To be the “hero” of my own journey, as we all should be in our own lives.
For too long I have been living like a “sideline” character. Not always, but for a lot of it.
Embarking on this challenge, this declutter, this path – I believe there will be more good out of it by the end than the frustration and Resistance I’ll face in “letting go” of “fundamental” parts of myself.
Who might I be at the end of this process this month or year?
My hope and intention is that through this process I will …
• Be more focused and disciplined with my time.
• See my own time as valuable – first to myself, and then to others.
• Be a more sovereign individual in my private life and taking more initiative.
• Be less overwhelmed with tabs, lists, and thoughts.
• Purge out of all the clutter and “open loops” in my life.
• Be more relaxed, confident in myself, and grounded.
• Be more intimately connected and present to the few[er] people around me and have more meaningful and interesting conversations through my selectivity of connection.
• Create massive value in the world around me.
• Create more through writing, photo, video, and more.
• Improve my mindset, presence, and awareness.
Ultimately – my intention is to cultivate more sovereignty over my life, myself, and my days – and to bring in more simplicity and intentionality into my life so that I can pour my time and resources into more meaningful things — and with greater impact.
Thank you for reading!
If you’d like to stay connected, you can reach out in a private message or via email/phone. Or find my blog on the googles, where I might be putting more of my writings instead of here. ;)
I’ll still be “around,” just not in the comments for the foreseeable future.
—————
Not doing what we know we need to do… doesn’t only matter to or hurt ourselves – it also affects those that we might be able to inspire or help.
—————
Stay connected:
Messenger — m.me/austinmpranger
Email — austin@austinpranger.com
