Two dreams of late have stuck in my mind. The first one was of me walking in a mall. As I was walking I noticed people looking and pointing their fingers at me. I came to realize that I am not wearing a mask, and a sense of panic took over me. I began frantically checking my pockets for it, at which point I woke up with a rapid heart beat and a sweaty forehead.
In the second dream, I was holding my phone close to my face, captivated by my Instagram reel. It was such a vivid dream, almost as if I was hypnotized by the phone. Eventually, I realized I was actually in a dream, at which point I woke up in fear again. The second dream made me think about how much time I’ve been spending on screen. I permitted myself to spend more and more time on the phone because of Covid. The truth is that I love my phone and time does disappear when I’m on social media. But when I snap out of it, it feels as if my mind was used by someone else and I didn’t like that feeling!
I decided to be more conscious of the time that I spend on my phone and as a first step, I decided to leave it at home when I went for my morning and evening walks. No music, no podcasts, no radio or talking on the phone. The thought of leaving it at home made me anxious. The morning I left the phone on the dining room table and walked out, I felt naked and vulnerable. It was as if I left a part of me behind. That feeling lasted for about fifteen minutes. As time progressed I began noticing my surroundings. I heard the birds chirping and the dog walkers chatter in the park. I suddenly realized that I was connected to the world again. As I continued to walk, my focus went inward and the everyday background noise allowed my mind to transcend into thought. I felt that my mind was flexing its muscles, rather than being spoon fed by an invisible monster. It was such a good feeling.
When I got back home I realized that I added time to my life rather than losing it to the screen. Don’t get me wrong, I still love my phone. It gives me information and connects me to amazing people. But I also need to disconnect from it to extend my life.
Much love!
