My Week Away 

I don’t know how long I’ve been going at full tilt. There’s always something to do on the computer. Social media posts to create for all my sites; promotional posts to market my book; too many emails to answer and DM’s to filter; too many spammers and scammers. It gets exhausting on top of the fatigue I deal with every moment of every day. Then there’s the incessant pain… 24/7, 365 days per year. It’s relentless.

At some point, I realized I couldn’t go on like this any longer. I needed a break, not just a coffee break or an hour for lunch. A real break… so I turned everything off: my phone, iPad, and iMac. I disconnected from social media and from the rat race of chasing algorithms. Not for one day or two, but for an entire week.

The first thing I noticed was the silence. Gone were the hum of the computer, ring of the phone and random notification alerts beeping on all three devices. It was peaceful and it was wonderful. I basked in it and allowed myself to relax and let go. That was exactly what I needed. No one was expecting me to show up to a Zoom meeting, all rooms on Clubhouse were off limits, and there were no deadlines for me to meet. For the first time in a number of years, I allowed myself to just be.

It is crazy how much these things have become so much a part of my days, in such a way that I didn’t notice how much they take from me; drain from me; demand of me. I realized changes had to be made for my own physical, mental, and spiritual well being.

Now, I begin each day in front of my computer listing three things that are top priority. Those are the only things I focus on and I am done between 4:30 and 5:00 pm each day. I spend most of my evenings with my husband, talking, listening, watching TV, or simply just being together. The only exceptions are Bible Study on Tuesday evenings for one hour, and the one poetry house I have decided to participate in on Clubhouse. Those rooms are on Saturdays and Sundays during the day, after church.

I am choosing to start my day with God again. With time spent in His Word reading and listening to the still small voice of the spirit. Time spent in prayer in response to what I have read, then shifting to intercession and personal requests before ending in a time of worship and praise. His peace that surpasses all understanding fills me for the day.

Are there days when I drop the ball? Yes… distractions are everywhere. I am getting better and more consistent each day. God gives me grace and I extend that grace to myself. Does that mean my numbers have dropped on my social media sites? Yes, but what I have regained is more than worth it.

If you can relate to this post, then I challenge you to do the same thing. Disconnect completely for one week. I can promise that you will find yourself making similar changes to guard your time and your space; your heart and your soul.

Life will begin to take on meaning again, even in this crazy world we find ourselves a part of. Do not lose the very things that make us human. We are all unique beings with an intrinsic worth far beyond any measure we have on this planet. Don’t forget. It’s important to remember even on the darkest of days.