hello september.
By the end of our first week in Wisconsin, I settled into a new normal that included taking a break from Facebook, letting someone else handle emails, and starting the day with yoga. This new normal didn't involve checking Facebook or Pinterest or my work email on my phone. And there were no "smart" devices next to the bed or waiting on the bathroom counter. A few times a day, I'd look at Instagram on my phone then check my personal email and then get ready to click and think, "Oh wait, that's it. Time to get back to living."
By the end of our first week, I was beginning to recognize myself and started to feel a deep swelling of peace in the center of my body.
When I visited my yoga teacher last week, in a moment of vulnerability, I asked her how I could keep that feeling always. After waiting a few beats, she reminded me that nothing is permanent. Right. I know this. Yes. But still, the longing to feel this expansion of peace remains. We talked about this. My current practice is about tapping back into that feeling through yoga and a chanting practice along with homework that she wrote down like a prescription: Take one retreat day a month.
Today is my first "official" day back to the world of social media and blogging and emails. I've been working here and there during my break, but it feels a bit like the first day of school over here.
Speaking of which, Ellie had her first day of Kindergarten last week. I'm calling this the "official first day of school photo."
And this one is the "show me how excited you are for kindergarten" photo!
As I ease back in today, I'm clear that setting boundaries around availability and social media is important. I knew this already, but I wasn't always implementing what I know. It would be so easy to slip back into bad habits, and my clicking from Facebook to email and back again a few times this morning invites me to know that thinking about the boundaries is not enough. I must write them down and check in daily to see how it's going.
One piece of this boundary setting is not putting Facebook back on my phone. I have a whole post about Facebook that I'll be writing soon along with some posts on how it's going setting these boundaries and hiring support for this growing business.
Here's a preview: We watched The Empire Strikes Back over the weekend and when I heard Yoda say, "You must unlearn what you have learned," I felt like he was talking directly to me and the 10 years I've spent with my daily life being deeply connected to the screen in front of me. 10 years. Yes. I have some unlearning to do, along with some simple shifts that I know will create more space to simply be present and do what I set out to do when I called my blog "be present, be here" 10 years ago this month.
Thank you for being here beside me. I look forward to sharing the stories and learning from one another as the bridge building between daily life and the longings inside continues.
liz lamoreux
Reader Comments (7)
YES. Boundaries. I so identify with your post & the sentiment. It's time to take a step back -- I was jerked into having to face this, continually, for a few months now. And it's time to make a shift, not just talk about the possibility. It's time.
P.S. You rock those bangs like nobody's business! Such a great photo of you two!
I might have to hi-jack your prescription - Take one retreat day a month. :)
Oh, hugs to you!!! Love your work so much. My daughter Meadow started kindergarten last week. Deeply emotional for me! So exciting, this new season of motherhood, yet so sad to let the previous season go.
This. Makes my heart sing. And yes, encourages and supports me as well. LOVE. Simply LOVE.
And welcome back. You were missed. Deeply. xo
I look forward to following your journey. Your words resonate with my heart
At work, I implemented a Chrome extension called StayFocusd, which allows me to set a time limit on certain URLs. I now only spend 10 minutes per day on Facebook and a swapping site I love...at least on my work computer. I haven't used it yet for my phone or tablet, but I already appreciate the difference.