Day 7

I am over halfway through my 10 Days without Social Media Challenge!
I am thankful for this challenge, it has given me more time and changed the way I look at social media.
The only thing that has really bothered me is not being able to send "Happy Birthday" messages on facebook, but I think I'm going to make a small concession and ask my husband to log in to my account and send messages for me.
I am so very blessed to have a husband who supports me in all I do!

Without facebook and twitter, I have had more time to study and learn the music I am singing for a special mass next month, that has been invaluable. I would not be able to perform this music without having devoted (and continuing to devote) so much time to studying.
I've had more time to study and memorize my lines and music for 42nd Street.
I've gotten to sleep a few minutes earlier each night, since I'm not checking facebook before bed.

We are constantly hearing about the benefits of red wine.
I've had problems finding a red wine that doesn't give me headaches. I've tried wine after wine, and each one gives me an almost instant headache. Then someone pointed me toward the wine Our Daily Red. Because it is both organic and sulfite free I have no headaches! It is also delicious!
I've been drinking it regularly for about a month now and the other night I was thinking, "I really need to go and "like" Our Daily Red on facebook!" That has become the way that I stay in touch with companies and products that I love, and the way that I show them appreciation.
Since I am on a hiatus from facebook, I decided to contact the two winemakers who make Our Daily Red, and express my appreciation.
They both replied to my emails almost immediately and thanked me warmly for my message. They explained to me that part of the reason Our Daily Red came about was because one of the winemakers had the same problem I do, instant headaches from most red wines. They discussed with me how the wine is made and what next year's batch will be like. That's information I never would have gotten from simply "liking" their facebook page.

Only 3 more days to go until the end of my challenge, I know that this time has changed how I will use social media tools!

Day 3

I am getting a lot accomplished!
Not quite as much as I had hoped, but now I think I'm done going through withdrawals and don't hear that voice in the back of my mind constantly wondering what's happening on the facebook and the twitter.
I finished an entire book in 24 hours.
I have studied music and studied music some more and then some more after that.
I did some housework.
I talked on the phone with friends.
Then I studied more music.

I feel a little liberated! Maybe I can make it through the next few days!

Day 2

I miss facebook and twitter.
I haven't accomplished very much thus far today.
Without facebook and twitter I've found other websites to waste time on.
I'm going through withdrawals.
I'm going to try to turn this day around be more productive.

Day 1

A few hours after I posted yesterday and told the world that I was giving up social media for 10 Days, I started to feel a bit panicked.

What was I thinking?!
How can I go for 10 Days without facebook and twitter?
I'm in rehearsals for the show 42nd Street and I need to advertise and post about it to generate interest and fill up our seats on July 13-15.
What if someone tags a picture of me and I can't check it and make sure that I look decent.
What if someone doesn't know how to get in touch with me other than through facebook?
What if I miss writing "Happy Birthday" on someones wall and their feelings get hurt?
I considered calling the whole thing off.

Fortunately a good friend talked me down and reminded me of all the things I keep saying that I need to do, and that without the distraction of social media I will have so much more time to get those things done.
It is only ten days, right?

I wonder who has posted something funny or sweet or political on facebook.
I wonder what great articles and jokes I'm missing over on twitter.
I'll find out in 10 days.

I was thrilled when a dear friend from the other side of the pond shared my blog post and began a fast of her own. I hope she finds it beneficial.

This is good for me. I've almost completely cleaned out my inbox and now I'm going to study my music and script and do some reading.

I'm an Addict

I am addicted to social media.
I check facebook and twitter multiple times a day, I'm embarrassed to admit just how much time I spend on facebook doing absolutely nothing.
Often "liking" my friends life events rather than calling them or sending a card, and connecting with them in some meaningful way.

I have been reading the book Almost Amish: One Woman's Quest for a Slower, Simpler, More Sustainable Life. Nancy Sleeth and her husband gave up their comfortable, upper middle class life in order to do what they felt was best for the world, their friends and family, and themselves. He gave up his job as a doctor because he wanted to save more than one person at a time. They gave up their big, fancy house and moved into a house that was the size of the garage in their old house.
To change the world they began with themselves.
They drastically cut their use of electricity and other resources. Their family has written several books, they lead workshops and talks around the country and they founded the organization Blessed Earth which equips people of all faiths to be better stewards of our planet.
In short, they walk the walk.

Here is the book description from Amazon:

Have you ever stopped to think, Maybe the Amish are on to something? Look around. We tweet while we drive, we talk while we text, and we surf the Internet until we fall asleep. We are essentially plugged in and available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Rather than mastering technology, we have allowed technology to master us. We are an exhausted nation. No one has enough time, everyone feels stressed out, and our kids spend more hours staring at a screen each week than they do playing outside.

It’s time to simplify our lives, make faith and family the focal point, and recapture the lost art of simple living. Building on the basic principles of Amish life, Nancy Sleeth shows readers how making conscious choices to limit (and in some cases eliminate) technology’s hold on our lives and getting back to basics can help us lead calmer, more focused, less harried lives that result in stronger, deeper relationships with our families, friends, and God.

Today How 30 Days Without Social Media Changed My Life showed up on my facebook news feed (ironic?). 
I get the hint.
I can make a few small changes. Baby steps toward more meaningful relationships, a more meaningful life and less wasted time.
I'm going to start with 10 days without social media and I'm going to start with 4 hours of no phone, internet or TV on Sundays. Maybe I can work up to 24 hours.
My goal is that when I come back to social media my time spent on it will be more conscious and meaningful.
Starting tomorrow I will be off of Facebook and Twitter until June 29th.

What are your thoughts, reader? Is giving up social media for 10 days extreme? Is it something you could do?

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