I recently wrote this to a friend in regards to this month's article, "I started writing but can't get my thoughts together!! They're so ALL over the place. Apparently writing about being uninspired and wanting to go unplugged takes inspiration to write. My life is one plagued with irony....I've got pieces of sentences but it's not coming together....My mind is this swirling vortex of anxiousness and over-thinking...."
And by recently, I mean a few hours ago. It is Friday. And this article that I am currently typing and that you are currently reading is going to be published in a few hours.
But I shall type on, knowing that all of us Neighborlies are about keeping it REAL and HONEST. And honestly? These thoughts will come out as a jumbled mess. But I'm hoping you're able to reach into the swirling vortex and pull out a bit of clarity.
And by recently, I mean a few hours ago. It is Friday. And this article that I am currently typing and that you are currently reading is going to be published in a few hours.
But I shall type on, knowing that all of us Neighborlies are about keeping it REAL and HONEST. And honestly? These thoughts will come out as a jumbled mess. But I'm hoping you're able to reach into the swirling vortex and pull out a bit of clarity.
Right now, my life is like a Merry-Go-Round. I see a pretty horse and I know that’s the one I want to ride. But after I get on, I see another that’s prettier and shinier so I change horses. But as the ride starts, the person beside me points out another horse and its benefits and says that THAT’s the one I should be on and so I switch. But my neighboring horse-rider says that I need to be riding this one AND the one on the other side… and so on and so on. All the while I’m going in circles and getting nowhere.
I’m stuck on this Merry-Go-Round in a swirling vortex where I’m constantly switching horses and am getting really dizzy and oh-so-very tired. My mind? It's a cluttered mess.
I need to get off the doomed ride before I’m flung off and land on my head.
It seems there is always a different horse to ride. There's always an email to read, a FB status to update, a personal blog post to think about writing, Google+ to investigate, TV shows in my Netflix cue to watch, a Photoshop tutorial to watch, research to be done on the best way grow a small business and how to promote my personal brand, research to be done on how to discover what my personal brand even is, figuring out the best way to promote my personal self as part of personal brand, my Bible to devour, a new issue of AFAR magazine to read, a new recipe to try, an extra workout to fit in, a friend that I desperately want to catch up with… and the list goes on and on.
There's so much vying for my attention that I can't even concentrate on the simple things – like reading a book, calling a friend to chat, praying with my spouse. True, I can do all those things, but I’m finding it hard to concentrate on JUST that moment because of all these other ‘horses’ that are swirling around and are begging for my attention. Why is it that I HAVE to immediately check my email on my phone when the little "1" pops up beside email icon to show that I have new message? It's obviously because it could be a matter of life and death, and if I waited to check it then the whole world could crash into itself.
I’ve lost my joy and my sense of self. I have spent the past few months feeling uninspired as a photographer and overwhelmed in life and have lost the "me" in me. I’m attempting to live up to what I think others’ standards are of me and what I think I need to be doing because it's what others are doing and frankly, I’m getting beat down because I just can’t measure up.
I’m stuck on this Merry-Go-Round in a swirling vortex where I’m constantly switching horses and am getting really dizzy and oh-so-very tired. My mind? It's a cluttered mess.
I need to get off the doomed ride before I’m flung off and land on my head.
It seems there is always a different horse to ride. There's always an email to read, a FB status to update, a personal blog post to think about writing, Google+ to investigate, TV shows in my Netflix cue to watch, a Photoshop tutorial to watch, research to be done on the best way grow a small business and how to promote my personal brand, research to be done on how to discover what my personal brand even is, figuring out the best way to promote my personal self as part of personal brand, my Bible to devour, a new issue of AFAR magazine to read, a new recipe to try, an extra workout to fit in, a friend that I desperately want to catch up with… and the list goes on and on.
There's so much vying for my attention that I can't even concentrate on the simple things – like reading a book, calling a friend to chat, praying with my spouse. True, I can do all those things, but I’m finding it hard to concentrate on JUST that moment because of all these other ‘horses’ that are swirling around and are begging for my attention. Why is it that I HAVE to immediately check my email on my phone when the little "1" pops up beside email icon to show that I have new message? It's obviously because it could be a matter of life and death, and if I waited to check it then the whole world could crash into itself.
I’ve lost my joy and my sense of self. I have spent the past few months feeling uninspired as a photographer and overwhelmed in life and have lost the "me" in me. I’m attempting to live up to what I think others’ standards are of me and what I think I need to be doing because it's what others are doing and frankly, I’m getting beat down because I just can’t measure up.
And so, because my head is so cluttered, I feel like I need to take drastic measures.
I'm going unplugged.
And I'm starting next Wednesday. {Is it sad that I had to actually look at my calendar to figure out the best time to do this? *sigh*}
No TV, movies or Netflix. No FB, Twitter, Google+ or Instagram. No computer and no email. No playing games on my phone. I'll actually use my phone ... are you ready? ... as a phone! I know - shocking! I remember our first cell phone {we had 1 between us} and it didn't even have a texting option! I'm pretty much going back to my life as it was when I was in 8th grade. Just with better hair. And with contacts instead of glasses that covered my cheeks.
I'm going to take time to breathe. I'm going to read my Bible - really read it - without thinking in the back of my mind, "I have to read that article entitled '50 Marketing Tips for Photographers' and figure out a game plan today." And I'm going to read my issue of AFAR Magazine without checking FB every few pages because my computer dings. And I'm going to take my camera out and shoot without thinking about who is or isn't going to like it. And I'm going to call a friend to chat instead of sending a FB message. {I'm also realizing that this means that I have to cook because I will have absolutely no excuse. Darn! Maybe I should keep thinking this through....}
I going to get off the Merry-Go-Round.
I realize that unplugging for a period of time won't solve everything. But it's a start. And I have no expectations as to what will happen when I start to plug in {a little at a time} again. But I'm looking forward to clearing my mind of all the clutter.
I'm going unplugged.
And I'm starting next Wednesday. {Is it sad that I had to actually look at my calendar to figure out the best time to do this? *sigh*}
No TV, movies or Netflix. No FB, Twitter, Google+ or Instagram. No computer and no email. No playing games on my phone. I'll actually use my phone ... are you ready? ... as a phone! I know - shocking! I remember our first cell phone {we had 1 between us} and it didn't even have a texting option! I'm pretty much going back to my life as it was when I was in 8th grade. Just with better hair. And with contacts instead of glasses that covered my cheeks.
I'm going to take time to breathe. I'm going to read my Bible - really read it - without thinking in the back of my mind, "I have to read that article entitled '50 Marketing Tips for Photographers' and figure out a game plan today." And I'm going to read my issue of AFAR Magazine without checking FB every few pages because my computer dings. And I'm going to take my camera out and shoot without thinking about who is or isn't going to like it. And I'm going to call a friend to chat instead of sending a FB message. {I'm also realizing that this means that I have to cook because I will have absolutely no excuse. Darn! Maybe I should keep thinking this through....}
I going to get off the Merry-Go-Round.
I realize that unplugging for a period of time won't solve everything. But it's a start. And I have no expectations as to what will happen when I start to plug in {a little at a time} again. But I'm looking forward to clearing my mind of all the clutter.
