Thank you for this, Lucy. When I first read about your digital detox, I thought “That’s what I do everyday”. But then I realised that no, that’s what I PLAN to do everyday, but in the last little while I’ve got into the bad habit of constantly over-riding the time limits on my apps. 🙈 More recently, I’ve been managing a number of really challenging situations and after reading your post, I was able to recognise that I’ve fallen into “crisis mode” behaviour of checking my email and messages relentlessly throughout the day. Even when there is no crisis, I am making my own day torturous by continuing to act like there might be a fire to put out any minute now. After this wake-up call, I resolved to follow your lead & today I only checked my emails & messages at the start & end of the day. I feel so much calmer, happier & more present. A very big THANK YOU! 💛
I’m glad the post helped. The link to the invitation I put in the post is a really good read, highly recommend. So far I’ve found that the first 3 days gave me mostly feelings of calm and space, but today I’ve had cotton wool brain, I wonder if it’s the brain rewiring, or something. I’ve been finding it really difficult to concentrate and wanted to scroll and connect. Crazy, because I don’t really want that!
Sometimes when you are getting close to achieving a big goal (as I'm guessing you are now) resistance "ups its game", so it could be that! Suddenly the desire to procrastinate grows etc. In such moments, I try to look resistance in the eye & say "Yes yes, I see you, pulling out all the stops, now that I've nearly defeated you. But you won't stop me. I'm going to finish this! So kindly, get out of my way!" ;-P
It’s such a good way to exercise the positive neural pathways. When the human brain becomes stressed, it starts functioning from the survival brain, which can only think in a negative way — it’s job is to look for what threatens survival. The last three years have taken quite a toll on people’s mental health due to the endless array of stress delivered to us at quite a pace. Making sure we are exercising the positive neural networks becomes ever more important. Sometimes if stress levels are very high, we can’t do it for ourselves, but our mirror neurons mean we can benefit from reading or listening to others doing it for us. That’s a large part of why I started to do this substack.
Thank you for this, Lucy. When I first read about your digital detox, I thought “That’s what I do everyday”. But then I realised that no, that’s what I PLAN to do everyday, but in the last little while I’ve got into the bad habit of constantly over-riding the time limits on my apps. 🙈 More recently, I’ve been managing a number of really challenging situations and after reading your post, I was able to recognise that I’ve fallen into “crisis mode” behaviour of checking my email and messages relentlessly throughout the day. Even when there is no crisis, I am making my own day torturous by continuing to act like there might be a fire to put out any minute now. After this wake-up call, I resolved to follow your lead & today I only checked my emails & messages at the start & end of the day. I feel so much calmer, happier & more present. A very big THANK YOU! 💛
I’m glad the post helped. The link to the invitation I put in the post is a really good read, highly recommend. So far I’ve found that the first 3 days gave me mostly feelings of calm and space, but today I’ve had cotton wool brain, I wonder if it’s the brain rewiring, or something. I’ve been finding it really difficult to concentrate and wanted to scroll and connect. Crazy, because I don’t really want that!
Sometimes when you are getting close to achieving a big goal (as I'm guessing you are now) resistance "ups its game", so it could be that! Suddenly the desire to procrastinate grows etc. In such moments, I try to look resistance in the eye & say "Yes yes, I see you, pulling out all the stops, now that I've nearly defeated you. But you won't stop me. I'm going to finish this! So kindly, get out of my way!" ;-P
That is so true 😊
I love the imagery of your boat, Lucy. And the joy dots - I have started thinking of them and love it!
It’s such a good way to exercise the positive neural pathways. When the human brain becomes stressed, it starts functioning from the survival brain, which can only think in a negative way — it’s job is to look for what threatens survival. The last three years have taken quite a toll on people’s mental health due to the endless array of stress delivered to us at quite a pace. Making sure we are exercising the positive neural networks becomes ever more important. Sometimes if stress levels are very high, we can’t do it for ourselves, but our mirror neurons mean we can benefit from reading or listening to others doing it for us. That’s a large part of why I started to do this substack.
Wonderful,
Exactly the same here in an eastern suburb of Newcastle upon Tyne.
Houses,cars few people walking dog's.
Having spent a few months here at my mother's flat,but soon to return home in Kent.
Thank you for sharing. I think it is like this for many, and maybe it will need to change someday soon!