BEHIND THE SCENES: The truth behind a week “device” free

There is a special time and place in everyone’s life for device free space - no phones, no laptops, no watches.  Back in the day, when the kids were home, we had device free sit down dinners nightly and all day Sunday.  But when my kids went off to college, my devices began showing up in my valuable device free territories of sabbath time and evening time.  It was hard.  With work, the kids far away, I always seem to be connected.  

I was so “connected” that I did not even realize how challenging “disconnected” would be.  

It’s one thing to put the phone down, but it’s another to set do not disturb on the watch, turn off the alarm clock, turn off the tabata timer for coaching workouts, turn off the timer for the french press, not use my meditation app, listen to music with airpods….  EVERYTHING CONNECTS to a device.

So, as I approached my big 5-0 birthday, I chose to take myself on a wellness retreat, where I was asked to turn off my phone, place it in a cute little bag, tie the knot at the top, and not open until I checked out… 5 DAYS later.  

Trusting the experience and ready for a reset,  I did what I was told and turned off my phone for all 5 days.  

And I won’t pretend that it was hard - it was.  

In the first 4 hours, I realized if I was to be truly intentional about devices then I needed a bigger bag!  I was ready to go all in by handing over my computer, airpods, and watch,  so I checked it ALL in and practiced “checking out”.  

This is what happened next. 

On the 1st day of no phone, I recognized just how much I rely on this device.  The safety and security of checking my phone throughout the day - who needs me? Did one of the kids text? Are they ok?  

Then I realized how technology was holding my behaviors hostage.On the 2nd day, I unlayered just how much I used my devices for all day to day activities and how much technology was holding my behaviors hostage.  It was foreign to be out of the routine of checking, posting, replying, responding, engaging,... it was uncomfortable.  But as we all know, being uncomfortable means big growth is about to happen.

And then, just like that I felt the shift.

It was completely awesome, freeing, and relaxing,... my mind started to wonder.  I looked at the landscape longer.  I drifted to sleep easier. I woke refreshed, and I became in tune with ALL my senses relatively quickly.  

On the 3rd day, I realized something big - the world did not end.  No one needed me.  No one missed me.  Wow, how very small I am in this big world.  I am and can be right here in the NOW, in the present, with myself, and be OK without all of the stuff that distracts me - the devices, the things, the props, the schedules…. And I am OK.  

What I learned.

What I learned from 5 Days of not touching any devices as a mom of 3, a spouse & a 6 figure small business owner….

• I am nothing if not in care of myself.  

• You cannot grow without creativity to see what’s next. 

• Open your chest, shine your heart, lean out, not in, to find and discover what comes next.

• Meditation is more than mindfulness and an app.  It’s grounding yourself to mother earth.

• Seeing the unseen means spending time in visualizing a landscape for where you want to be in X years.  

And because of this experience, I will continue to take off the layers while I unearth and unfold more as I age and care for myself better.  The best is yet to come!  And it’s been damn awesome so far.

JRAPP is a brand that has value, consistency and compassionate energy and understanding.  

If there is one thing I can bring to you from this experience it’s this : Stop underestimating yourself.  Trusting yourself starts with intentionally listening to one self.  And your value is right there under that layer of devices just ready to shine.