Month: July 2018

Suffering from FOMO? Time to Experience JOMO!

Are you a social media hound? Do you live vicariously through others? Do you suffer from FOMO—the fear of missing out? Without realizing it, have you succumbed to Silicon Valley’s must-be-in-the-know hype and algorithms designed to keep you attached to their social media platforms?

Then it might be time for you to unplug, turn off, scale down, disengage and tune out! It’s time to experience JOMO—the Joy of Missing Out!

 

The research—

Study after study seems to conclude that our digital device habits are making us physically, emotionally (and often spiritually) sick. Eye muscles, brain re-wiring, neck pain, headaches, shortened attention span, depression and the emergence of the new “tech neck” neck wrinkles are just a few associated ailments.

You’d tend to think it’s teens and college kids who are the sufferers. And they are. But evidently adults—on average—spend four hours a day on their social feeds. Catching up, tuning in, watching, watching, watching and updating.

I think it’s time for all of us to do some self-examination on why we’ve managed to get ourselves hooked on these sites and be ruthless about taking some digital detox time.

 

Make some changes—

While it may be easier to initiate a new practice on the weekend, I want you to at least be paying more attention to your social media habits, recording your usage time, being mindful of why you’re updating, watching and reading and then trying some of the following tech-free activities, especially when you get the urge to check your social feed on your phone:

 

  1. Go for a Sunday drive WITHOUT your phone. Or shut it off and throw it in the car trunk. Stop for lunch some place and enjoy a nice, relaxing, lengthy meal without snagging your phone from the car. (Daydreaming really is a lost art. Or chatting with the waitress.)
  2. Set a timer to alert you to when you’ve spent an hour on your social media and then turn it off immediately when the timer dings.
  3. When you feel the urge to open Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram or any of the other sites, take a meditation moment instead. Then make sure you don’t go to the site after the meditation.
  4. Plan for a tech-free vacation and leave your computer, tablet, etc. at home.
  5. Select a tech-free room in your house, where computers, phones, tablets, etc. are off limits. The bedroom would probably be the best place because it would help you get out of the harmful habit of reading emails or the news online just before you switch off the lights to go to bed. You’re sleep will improve. Trust me!
  6. Embark on a connection-free vacation to a WiFi and cell-phone connection-free location. A co-worker of my husband’s says he travels to a special place in Indonesia because there’s no WiFi there, and the company can’t connect with him! Be thinking about where you could go and really leave it all behind.
  7. Stop giving out your email address and phone number to everyone, or every store or organization that asks you for it, so you can receive notice of new offers and special sales. You’ll save money.

 

Experience the joy of spending some uninterrupted time with yourself, with nature, with others, with your Creator.

Experience the joy of daydreaming again.

Experience the joy of tech-free freedom.

Improve your emotional, physical and spiritual health.

Stop obsessing over what everyone else is saying about the world situation and their lives.

Thousands of generations before us did just fine living tech-free. Really. In many ways they did much better. Maybe it’s time for us to go backward in some areas and defy the tech revolution!

And while you’re reducing your tech and social media time, shut off the television.

There’s certainly not much joying going around on that device.

 

 

 

Share your journey—

If you’ve been able to slay the FOMO, tell us what you did to accomplish it!

And tell me how much you’ve been able to reduce your social media time in a week.

 

NEXT WEEK: Was Jesus a philosopher?

Until then,

Experience what joys life has to offer you (the ones you’ve been overlooking) when you’re missing out!

Blessings,

Andrea

May you prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers (3 John 2).

“No social media” photo by The Arizona Beehive

Are You Mostly Body or Mostly Spirit? Part 2

Have you ever been in physical pain? I mean the kind of pain you experience with a serious car accident, broken bone, or surgery?

The pain can be so severe that it strikes at your deepest gut level. Your nerves scream. You’re in agony, and you can’t get any relief. Heavy pain meds might take the edge off, but only for a while. Ice acts like a numbing anesthetic it, but eventually that wears off too. Your body screams “Nooooooo! Make it go away!” Or the pain can be so severe you actually entertain the thought of death being an inviting option.

Before I went on hiatus for my oral surgery, we were discussing whether or not we—as humans—were more body or more spirit. I’d like to return to that discussion for the next several weeks.

What do you think?

When you’re in physical pain, would you say you’re thinking of yourself as more body, or more spirit? I know I’ve often wished that I were more spirit than body at that point, but there’s just no escaping the body my spirit’s housed in. Often even my spirit cries out too, since it doesn’t seem to like it when the body’s suffering either. The physical disability seems to wrap its tentacles around every part of you. Body and spirit intertwine. And you engage in mental combat to make the spirit rise and conquer.

At those times, we usually allow the body to move into center stage, and give it all the attention it demands, deserves, if you want to heal properly and press on in life. Often the spirit takes a backseat, or is temporarily forgotten. Even though you’re really trying to focus on the spirit—sometimes for distraction—the body can be pretty demanding.

 

Example—

Take a good look at the picture at the top of the post. The collarbone that’s broken, splintered into multiple pieces and displaced. It’s a doozy. And having suffered a simple greenstick fracture (crack) in my collarbone at the age of 4, I can tell you this person is suffering. My arm felt as though it was falling off. I can only barely imagine what this person’s arm felt like.

Realignment would require surgery and internal fixation. It may even be a compound fracture, where it’s broken through the skin. Bleeding. With muscle, fat, and nerve tissue exposed.

There is no question in my mind that the sufferer of this injury is overwhelmed with the limitations and demands of his or her body. And it’s getting their attention.

 

Can you blame them?

 

NEXT WEEK: I’ll give you what I think are good examples of spirit and body taking on equal importance. And it’s demonstrated with and in our Lord Jesus.

Have a great weekend nurturing both body and spirit!

Blessings,

 Andrea

May you prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers (3 John 2).

 

Photo by Harlie Raethel

Replacing Those Beloved Hiking, Running and Walking Shoes

Don’t you just hate it when you have to toss a pair of shoes you adore? You know, the ones you worked to break in, mold to your feet, and put some memorable miles on?

That’s what I’m going through right now. Giving up beloved hiking, road and trail shoes that have seen too many miles, too many trails, and too much asphalt and rocks to provide the support and comfort I need.

 

Out with the old—

It started by my having to say goodbye to the KEEN hiking boots I purchased in the summer of 2013 to hike part of the Kalalau trail on Hawaii’s island of Kauai, listed as one of the top 10 most dangerous hikes in the United States. Even though I wasn’t a big hiker at the time, I put this on my bucket list, for several reasons.

 

 

1) I wanted to get an up-close and personal look at the lush, dramatic Na Pali Coast, which is only accessible on foot or from a boat. I got tired of seeing it from Steven Spielberg’s aerial shots in all of the Jurassic Park movies. I wanted to walk where the T-Rex roamed.

2) I wanted to relive my childhood and take my husband and sons back into a Hawaii valley to get up close to some towering cliffs, experience the thrill of diving into a Hawaii waterfall pool, and swim behind a cascading waterfall. (Even though a lot of people paddle around directly under the falls, you really want to avoid doing that. Rocks from above can dislodge and crash into the water. And all of that gushing water can really pound your head.)

3) I really wanted to see if I had what it takes to make that kind of trek. Although we only went in and back 5 miles, (rather than the full 11 miles in and the 11 miles out), the return trip was grueling.

 

My hiking boots did me well on the Kalalau Trail! Crossed streams four times and got me safely (and comfortably) up and back. (At least the feet were comfortable. My knees ended up being an entirely different story on the grueling hike back out.) The boots have since carried me around the White Mountains of Arizona and the 9,000-foot mountain forty-five minutes north of our home here in Tucson, Arizona.

But I’m five years older, and in the last couple of years I’ve gained weight, which has caused my feet to fatten up and widen (a nasty side-effect of both gaining weight and growing old). Plus I have a left big toe injury that now makes those shoes too tight and miserable. Darn. I really love those shoes! (I love them and the memories I had wearing them so much that I’m going to use them as nostalgia décor in our mountain cabin!)

 

Bring on the New Hiking Shoes—

So, last summer I went hunting for some new hiking boots and bought a new pair of KEEN’s. More flexible, wider toe box and a half-size larger, so my feet can spread out and swell without being bound up in the boot, and screaming at me by day’s end.

And now those are eking to the end of their life too. Hiking the hard trails around here, the Cascades, and the Olympic Peninsula has worn them out. (In the last year I’ve become an enthusiastic hiker.) I need some boots that’ll go the distance for me on my upcoming pilgrimage.

 

Darn! So I went down to REI again and bought yet another new pair of KEEN boots. (I wanted another pair of last year’s model, but REI no longer carried them. The nice sales guy did some research and directed me to KEEN’s website to purchase the old model, if I want.) But I picked up a pair of the new model from him and am about to break those in. (They’re still lounging in the box.)

 

The same thing happened to my hot pink Altra trail shoes. My avid hiker son warned me the special nubby soles would get torn down tramping around on asphalt with them, but they were SO comfortable I couldn’t help myself. They got replaced by a brand new pair of Altra hot pinkies several months ago, and I’ve worn those once. (The old ones are now garden shoes.)

 

And the Altra road shoes I bought last month have already taken a beating. Daily road or treadmill mileage to prepare for the pilgrimage have worn down the toe treads so much I think I might need to replace those earlier than expected. It probably hasn’t helped those shoes that I’ve walked on both blacktop and gravel with them. Different surfaces require different treads.

 

Needing to make a decision—

The pilgrimage has a combination of surfaces, so I need to plan accordingly. But it’s going to be a tough call. I want to take two pairs of shoes—one hiking and one trail—but that means a lot of extra bulk and weight in my backpack that I can’t afford.

 

Breaking them in properly (and saving your feet)—

When breaking new shoes in, tread carefully (pun intended). You shouldn’t just thrust your foot in, lace them up and put in the same kind of daily mileage you did on your broken-in pair. It’s like getting used to contacts. The first day you have them in your eyeballs a couple of hours and then the next day work up one hour more. You continue doing that until you’ve reached your eight hours a day or more limit.

 

Same with shoes.

 

Insole savvy—

And one of the REI sales guys gave me a good tip. When breaking in your new shoes, he said to remove your insoles from your old pair and put them in the new shoes. Evidently it helps your foot accommodate better. I’m going to give it a go with the new Keens and let you know how it works.

 

And by the way, another way to breathe new life into your old shoes is by buying new, cushier insoles to put in them. That could give your shoes some additional mileage and your feet the relief they need until you can swing for (or find) that new pair!

 

Share your story!

Have any good hiking or walking shoes stories? I’d love to hear them! Just drop a comment on the “Leave a comment” page to share them with us.

 

More on the Kalalau Trail—

The Kalalau Trail is currently closed due to flood damage, with reports that it will be closed for at least a year, but you can read more about the famous, breathtaking trail here.

 

Find some great Kalalau Trail maps and trail info here.

 

NEXT WEEK: Keeping your precious feet in shape for going the extra mile on that trail or path!

 

Until then,

Have fun breaking in those shoes!

Blessings,

Andrea

May you prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers (3 John 2).

Kalalau Trail picture by kalalautrail.com

Post-surgery Recovery Meditation—Part 2

When you’re lying around, getting waited on, with nothing hanging over your head besides recuperating, you have a lot of time to think. About yourself, your life, and your priorities. What’s holding you back from achieving them. And what “priorities” and life habits you should erase from the list or alter. So you live a more balanced life and enjoy life more.

Right now I’m working out how I can keep that relative stress-free thing going after I’ve made a full recovery, which should be the middle of August. I’m hoping I’m on schedule!

Of course, I can’t always have it my way with the stress-free living. I’m a daughter, wife, mother, friend and self-employed writer, fitness pro, chaplain and speaker. Stress and unexpected responsibilities and schedule changes can overtake you like a tsunami in any area of life, and often it happens in more than one area at the same time. (During this time of recovery, I also had my son’s echocardiogram for a heart concern burdening my heart, too, so I did have plenty to worry about, IF I’d chosen to “worry.” Thankfully, the results came back normal.)

 

My responsibility—

While there’s much I can’t control, there is a lot I can control, a lot I can choose to set aside or say “no” to, and a lot I can take a pass on. Like completely ignore. I don’t always have to be everything to everybody. And I don’t have to feel a responsibility to respond to every inquiry or notice I receive.

Making a deeper examination of that was part of my recovery meditation process.

During my initial recovery stages, I read voraciously, watched movies, and colored. I even studied my on-line business-to-business email-writing course, and sat in on several webinars when I felt strong (and interested enough) to pay attention. One I exited fairly early after I decided it wasn’t worth my time or effort. Time I would never get back in my life. At my age, I need to start getting picky. Actually, at any age you should be.

 

The deadly, depressing emails—

One thing I started thinking seriously about (and realized I’d become somewhat of a slave to) is all of those emails I have lined up in my inbox. You probably have some of them yourself. The ones with the little red flags or yellow stars highlighting them as emails you wanted to go back and read because when they first arrived in your inbox they grabbed your attention, you just knew they were worth reading, when you have time. You were sure you’d have time to get to them later.

Know what I’m talking about? I was sure those emails would give me some little information nugget to improve my life, improve my business, make me a better or more well-rounded person. Make me happier, or more in-the-know.

Then I noticed how many flagged emails I had in just one email account alone. It’s embarrassing to admit. But here it goes. (Drum roll!)

Twelve hundred seventy-eight flagged emails. Yup. 1278. One thousand, two hundred seventy-eight emails I planned to open to read. That I planned to spend my precious time reading.Time I would never again get back.

And you know what? It’s not gonna happen. Ever. Why? Because I really don’t want to read those emails. If I did, I would have found the time to do it when they first came through.

And I don’t want to take precious time to read them, either. Not all of them, anyway. Not most of them, actually. So I made a decision and developed a plan for those emails and future inbox arrivals. Some of these ideas might work for you too.

 

 The plan—

  1. Go through your list and decide which emails are must-saves, like the airlines tickets, hotel reservations, etc. Move what you can to an email folder, set up for each topic. Learn how to file your emails.
  2. If the email is older than a month, then it gets tossed. Chances are the same email subject will arrive in my inbox again, at which time I can decide if it’s really timely and important for me, or not. (In which case it needs to be immediately deleted.)
  3. For those emails that come from a regular blog I subscribe to that I really find helpful and interesting, I can always just automatically delete the email and go to the sender’s web or blog page to scroll through the recent topics or blog posts I should read.
  4. I can set aside a portion or time block of my day (be intentional on just how much time you’ll set aside) to devote to email and blog post reading. For me, sometimes it’s helpful to read a couple of blog posts or articles on writing early in the morning before I sit down to write. That tends to get me encouraged and motivated. And I always try to start my day with some kind of Bible study or inspirational, faith-based reading.
  5. For those sites that offer a “Week in Review” email, wait until that comes through and then be selective on what you read.
  6. It sounds harsh, but don’t assume that everyone who sends you an email needs a response. It’s time to kill the guilties on this one!
  7. Choose a time of the day (maybe after all of your must-do work is done) to respond to emails from friends. (The same holds true for text messages.) Of course, if they’re emailing you about an urgent need that you can and want to help with, or a prayer request, then it’s usually okay to respond immediately. As long as you don’t allow the conversation to go on and on and on. (Unless you have time, of course.) Family and friends need attention and nurturing, but some are needier than others, and you sometimes do need to be selective on when and how you respond. Always be intentional, thoughtful and purposeful about it.
  8. I’m setting a time to turn the phone off (or set it aside) and shut the computer down every night at least an hour before I go to bed. (This goes along with knowing when to read emails and not let them consume your day.) That way I’m not chained to those emails and reading them. I’ll be able to prepare myself better mentally for bed, relax, unwind and set myself up for a better night’s sleep.

 

And you know what I figured out after starting to apply this plan? I learned that I can read about three educational emails a day before my brain starts swimming, and I start forgetting the important points of what I read. So I know I need to be choosy. And really learn and remember the important points of what I’m reading. I think that if I can remember, and apply, 2 – 3 good points to my life and work, I’m doing well! (And that may be 2 -3 points a week, not daily!)

 

Why delete the unread, flagged emails—

While I could just leave the flagged emails sitting in my inbox, and not spend time deleting them, I won’t. Why? Because just seeing those little red flags and gold stars makes me feel guilty. It screams “Obligation!! Important!!” “Must do!” to me. And that triggers stress and irritation. And I want to reduce my stress and irritation as much as possible.

Even though I might have signed up to receive those emails, I don’t need to read all of them. And I don’t want to be reminded of what I didn’t do and what I might (gasp!) have missed. I don’t want to become a slave to my inbox. I’m determined to slay the FOMO that lurks in my brain. That’s something I need to keep meditating on until the FOMO has fizzled away.

It all might be a psychological game right now, but the brain plays games with us. And I need to retrain mine.

How about you?

 

 Question:

How many “I’ll-have-to-go-back-and-read-those-emails” do you have in your inbox? And when are you going to—with a happy and content heart—send them on their way?

How much is your time worth to you? (In the business world, every second or dollar is spent is weighed against a ROI—return on investment. It’s worth weighing in every area of life too.)

As King Solomon wrote in the “Book of Ecclesiastes”:

 

“There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens:”

 

NEXT WEEK: Turning FOMO into JOMO!

Until then,

Be ruthless! Like junk mail, learn how to— and be— aggressive about dumping emails!

Blessings,

Andrea

May you prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers (3 John 2).

Photo copyright pcworld.com

Hammock Napping for Recovery

In order to pace myself in my recovery from surgery, Free-for-All-Fridays will again be on hiatus this week!

(Although I won’t be indulging in hammock napping like this lucky person. Ours has worn out. All that’s left is the stand. But what a great way to spend a summer day!)

Make it a memorable weekend, whatever you’re doing!

Blessings,

Andrea