First and foremost, even with a return to blogging, a little digital detox helps to kick things off with a post! I have found over the past year and months – a year in which social media served as a news outlet – that it does my mental health wonders to take some much-needed time away from the relentless scroll. Five days here, four days there. Doesn’t have to be anything major. Just a little commitment to yourself that you’ll spend your energy doing something besides doom scrolling.
So what did I do while I wasn’t scrolling on my break? Over the past few days, I’ve been in Maine, writing, meditating, resting, hiking, swimming, baking, being with Sherlock and The Mr. I even managed to hop on a flight to attend a family funeral and while it threw a wrench into my R&R, I’ve been reflecting on what I’d like to do with more time ‘offline’.
My words for this is MINDFUL PRESENCE. I’ve always been someone who goes with the flow and that’s just not serving me anymore. Even with the zine I find myself spinning many plates and it’s been so overwhelming. So I’m putting the practice of saying no and putting mindfulness to stay disconnected into play. I’m also spending more time on the land and totally not ‘sharing’ those beautiful moments so I have them all to myself. My intention of coming back to routine is to be more conscious, present, and aware in everything I do. From personal to professional.
I’ve found that I am genuinely happier as a person when I have mornings to myself and that I can’t enjoy a morning to the fullest and go on a bike ride because I’ve had to pack orders, answer emails, or post on social media. It had also been seriously weighing on me that I haven’t been consistent with biking or the blog since starting it back up. But even that feels like a job sometimes. My intent was to be less on social media where I’ve totally done well to not post as much but still, the weight of opening up any social media app brings a feeling of anxiety. So I’ve been learning to let go of ‘checking in’ online and to be connected to the moment and to myself during this break.
I will be doing more of this as I settle back and am figuring out a way to be less Cyclista Zine and more of myself.
As I wrap up my time off, I have a lot to restructure in the next few months so I can be in MINDFUL PRESENCE. I also want to express, for those who’ve experienced loss and hardship this year, I am with you. As we each continue to grow, I encourage you to nurture your soul. Be on The Land. Take a break, put the phone down. I hope you all know how strong you are. I hope you all know how thankful I am for each of your heartfelt messages and support.