the joy of disconnecting

"Almost everything will work again if you unplug it for a few minutes... including you." -Anne Lamott

I love this principle. I preach it, and I practice it. But don't assume it's easy.

I remember riding bikes with friends when I was a kid. We'd leave home in the early afternoon and take off, and our parents had no way to get in touch with us. Remember that? We'd be gone for hours and drag ourselves back home at dark. There's something to be said for being unavailable.

Practice this with your partner. Commit to unplugging together. Relearn each other. Take a walk, have a picnic, talk to each other face to face.

Practice it on your own. Plan an unplugged weekend. Reclaim your time. It's the only thing you can't make more of.

Practice it when you're feeling depressed or sad. Comparing ourselves to what we see on social media feeds feelings of inferiority, so stop doing it. Feed yourself by disconnecting.