The 30 Day Challenge

I never back down from a good challenge.

Kayaking through sea caves on Lake Superior during the windiest day of the year?

Done it.

One entire month without caffeine?

Piece of cake.

Meditate for 30 minutes a day for 30 days in a row?

Not hard at all.

Walk through Reptile Gardens without freaking out?

Okay. I almost failed that one.

So when Chris instigated this most recent one, how could I refuse?

30 days away from Facebook.

I’ll be spending the next month completely disconnected from the social networking site. I won’t even pretend that it’s not going to free up an enormous amount of time. (During which I have a long list of things that I’ll be diving into: a huge stack of books, Tae Bo DVDs, Spanish tutorials… Not to mention training for a St. Patty’s Day marathon, taking long walks with D, and spending quality time with Chris.)

Facebook is a good thing. It allows us to easily stay in touch with loved ones, maintain friendships that would otherwise be lost to time and distance, and promote the things we love – i.e. small businesses, art, music, etc. See? All good, right?

But I also think it’s something that needs to be used in moderation. I’ve seen people so glued to their Facebook or Twitter screens that they miss the beauty of the moment: a breathtaking sunset, a touching scene in a movie, a wild performance at a concert, a drive through the Cascade Mountains, a once-in-a-lifetime art exhibit, time with a loved one – just to name a few.

And lately – this is where the challenge comes in – I noticed that I was becoming caught up in the madness. Me! Logging onto Facebook instead of picking up that book I’ve been meaning to read. Me! Scrolling through status updates instead of hitting the treadmill with Chris. And, perhaps the most ridiculous, jumping up during movie-date-night to comment on a post in my newsfeed… Pathetic, huh?

Yep. I’d say it’s time for a break.

So I’m taking a month off. To focus on life. Without distractions.

I’ll update my status later. :)

__________________

"Life is sweet when you pay attention. When it doesn't seem sweet, put a sticker on your nose and do a funky dance."
-- Whitney Scott