I'm trying to form healthier habits and become more mindful of how I spend my time and what content I consume. I have set a timer on my phone that cuts off my access to both Instagram and Facebook after 30 minutes of use (combined, not 30 min for each). Mainstream social media has absolutely deteriorated my mental health and my sense of self. I used to do nothing but sit and doomscroll, consuming shit tons of brainrot, comparing myself to other people, and all of the negativity on the platforms was really getting to me. Instagram and Facebook are both infested with hatred and pessimism. I don't want to delete them though because I want to stay connected to my friends and family. So I just get on there for a few minutes everyday to see what they are up to. I love spacehey because it encourages creativity and doesn't feed users dogshit content. Users actually have to search for content, which I think is a good way to encourage mindful media consumption. Users have to think about what kind of content they want to consume rather than just being spoon fed garbage.
Another habit I am trying to pick up is commonplace journaling. I have a physical journal and I use the program Obsidian to write. I just write mundane thoughts and things that happened throughout the day. For those who don't know, a commonplace journal is kind of like a diary but scrappier. It is meant to be a culmination of all of your raw authentic thoughts. There should be no pressure to perform in the book or overthink. The issue I have always had is that I write in my journals as if someone else is going to be reading it. I have to remind myself that I am writing this for myself and myself alone. This journal is for me to reflect on my thoughts and get to know myself better. A commonplace book doesn't have to be in any certain format or consist of any certain things. I guess it's like a diary with no rules, not that diaries really had rules in the first place. But I know a lot of people never keep up with writing in diaries because of the internal pressure we put on ourselves for it to be perfect, aesthetically pleasing, or trying to set a schedule for when we write in it. Just write whatever you want whenever you want. Even things you don't think are important.
I also want to spend more time outside this year. I told myself the same thing last year and I think I went on 1 walk in the park the entire year. I want to do more this year. I want to take a walk at least once a week and chill in the woods. I don't know why I don't do it more often. I love taking a walk and finding a nice place to sit and enjoy my surroundings. I think a big part of my mental health issues is how little time I spend outside. Literally the only time I spend outside is the walk from my house to my car to wherever I'm going. I don't get nearly enough sunlight or fresh air. I want to feel connected with the planet.
Overall I want to feel more connected to myself, people around me, and the planet. I want to stop consuming nothing-burger content, and passively consuming content in general (consuming content without really retaining it). I want to consume with intent. I also want to create more; I want to start scrapbooking again and start redesigning my website.
Tell me about similar goals that you guys have. I know a lot of people have been realizing how bad their social media addiction really is, especially after the 12 hour TikTok ban. Have you guys been taking steps to cut down as well?