7 Things I Gained by Leaving Facebook
I recently decided to take a hiatus from Facebook. I realized I was addicted, and the information overload started to overwhelm me. When my friends ask me why I deactivated my Facebook account, I smile and say that I needed a break from being continuously inundated with status updates.
A few months earlier when the idea first cropped up to deactivate my account, I resisted it for fear of being left out. I thought I’d miss out on important information; now I realize I could do without it completely. I decided to take more control of what I see or read.
Instead of being flooded with unwanted information, I now filter what I read. I only read columns in the newspaper on topics which I need for my teaching, like economics and finance.
Here are the seven things I gained from breaking free from the grips of Facebook:
- I spend more meaningful time with my family and friends instead of constantly checking updates.
- I get to do the things I’ve always put off because I “didn’t have time.” The time I used scrolling through Facebook is now better used for things I enjoy doing like writing, meditation and yoga.
- I feel calmer, more centered and peaceful. The information overload was affecting me at a subconscious level.
- I have control over my time now. As a result, I feel more empowered, energized and responsible. Every moment counts.
- When I find myself with nothing to do, I sit in silence and take a moment for contemplative reflection. This gives me a fresh perspective.
- I’m more mindful. Breaking free from a digital addiction made me more aware of my mindless actions that don’t serve any real purpose. Every time the urge of checking Facebook arises, I simply watch the thought and let it go. On a few occasions, I’ve given in to that urge and the feeling isn’t great. I know the power is within me to make a lasting change that will aid me in living the life I want to live.
- I experienced a sense of liberation. It’s as if the dark clouds lifted and the mental noise went silent. I dance and laugh more now. I get to stop and marvel at nature’s work. I started noticing the beauty around me instead of looking down at my phone. Inspiration comes to me in ways I’ve never imagined.
About the Author
The Three Questions With Don Miguel Ruiz
Everything we do is connected to an agreement we have made. This is the premise proposed by Don Miguel Ruiz, best-selling author, and renowned spiritual teacher. Ruiz has spent decades guiding people to personal freedom through his profound insights regarding the nature of human reality.
In “The Three Questions with Don Miguel Ruiz,” we get a glimpse of how we shape our own lives, consciously and unconsciously, through our interactions with others and the promises we make to them and ourselves. This discussion gives us pause to think about what we really know versus what we have learned from others.
The youngest of 13 children, Don Miguel Ruiz was born in rural Mexico to parents who practiced ancient Toltec traditions and used their healing abilities to uplift others. After graduating from medical school in Mexico City, Ruiz began practicing neurosurgery with his older brother in Tijuana.
Not long after, however, a near-fatal car accident completely altered his life’s course, leading him to leave his career in medicine in search of a more essential truth about life. With his mother’s guidance, steeped in traditional native teachings, he soon discovered his own path to awareness that evolved into a deep understanding of the physical universe and the virtual world of the mind.
Ruiz’s self-discovery led him to publish a number of highly successful books, including “Toltec Wisdom Series,” “The Four Agreements,” “The Mastery of Love,” “The Voice of Knowledge,” “The Four Agreements Companion Book,” “The Circle of Fire,” and “The Fifth Agreement.” The Toltec Wisdom books have sold more than 12 million copies, and have been published in 46 languages worldwide.
Don Miguel Ruiz’s message is simple yet profound: Our lives are guided and affected by information that is passed along generationally — right or wrong. But instead of simply adhering to the ideas of others, we need to “let everything we do and say be an expression of the beauty of our heart, always based on love,” and this will lead us to happiness, fulfillment, and helping others.
