The Little Things That Make It Easier To Be Sober From Social Media

The Little Things That Made A Big Difference

Getting sober from social media was not easy. I would go as far as to say it’s one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to give up, and that says a lot. I started battling addiction long before the habits became my own. Once they did, I spent a significant amount of time, money, and energy trying to sabotage my own life. However, after overcoming my addictions to cocaine, cigarettes, alcohol, people-pleasing, and social media, I’ve discovered that the little things can make a big difference.

Practice Yoga

I first heard of yoga while I was in rehab. It was 2004. I had never heard the word before my first day out of detox. The lady at the front of the room, who I would later call Miss Gloria, said we all had to sign up for at least two options. I chose to sign up for all of them. Not because I was sure I was about to heal. I didn’t want to be near the other girls. I didn’t want to be anywhere at all.

I was the first person on the list for a massage and the only person who signed up for acupuncture. The yoga “class” was filled with women who were trying to find comfort in their bodies after trauma and lifetimes of drug use. I struggled in the group setting so I only went to one class.

A few years, and a few babies later, yoga made its way back into my life when I was trying to get back into shape, and it worked. Then, about five ago, when COVID had the world at a standstill, I found a deep serenity while practicing yoga and find it much easier to stay peaceful and grateful on days when I use yoga to connect to my body and my breath.

Breathwork

In the early days of my anxiety disorder diagnosis, I remember a doctor asking me if I stopped everything I was doing to breathe and being so irritated because obviously, I was breathing, but with three kids under five, there was no stopping involved. Sixteen years later, I finally know what she meant. I am very conscious of my breaths now.

I use tactical breathing to stay grounded throughout the day; Inhaling through my nose for four seconds and out for six to fully exhale out of my mouth for an immediate centering effect. When I’m stressed, I practice Box Breathing; In for four, hold for four, out for four, hold for four. I repeat that three times and feel regulated quickly.

I Buy Myself Flowers Like Miley

Buying myself flowers every week was a small thing that I started doing last summer that continues to make an impact on how I feel every single day. I don’t buy bouquets that are already made if I can help it. I like to make the bouquets myself. I take my time picking them, cutting them, and putting them in vases throughout my home.

Beyond Grateful

I practice gratitude. I do this in a few different ways. In the morning when I wake up, I have two journals that I grab right away. Making a habit of putting my gratitude practice first in my day helps me to notice all of the things I’m grateful for throughout the day.

First is my gratitude journal by RYVE. I found it on Amazon when I was looking for a new spiral inspiration calendar for my desk. The journal was under the calendar and I thought it was so beautiful so I got both. I knew the gratitude journal would provide a way to be more mindful of the good things in my life.

The second is the Start Today Journal that I received from Rachel Hollis at her meet and greet. I had previously listened to one of Rachel’s podcasts that suggested using the 5-10-1 method during a gratitude practice. I was using her method in my planner and was excited to begin doing it in her journal. The 5-10-1 method is writing five things you’re grateful for. Then, ten goals that you “made happen” from the aspect of your future self. And then, one big dream that you’re working toward first.

Meditation and Self-Hypnotization

Meditation has proven to be an irreplaceable tool in getting rid of my debilitating anxiety. I have been trying to meditate for years but always found it a little woo woo. I didn’t foresee it helping me out of the state of anxiousness that made it hard to be around people without my inner critic tearing me to shreds every time I spoke or felt misunderstood. Meditation helps me stay in a peaceful state of mind no matter what is happening around me.

Self-Hypnotization is similar. I have gotten really familiar with the teachings of To Be Magnetic. Lacy Phillips, with the help of her team has developed a practice that works for me like no other. In my journaling, I call it emotional excavation. It is. She provides journal prompts either before, after, or sometime both. If I’m in a time crunch, I can skip the prompts and still find them extremely beneficial.

Take It Slow

One of my most helpful piece of advice is to just slow down. I know we live in hustle culture. I am guilty of working two or three jobs at a time. I thought I had to go fast to get further and I’m proof that it doesn’t always work out that way anyway. Everywhere I went, I went quickly. In my cars, in my relationships, and in my life. Once I learned to pause , I was able to find a little pleasure in whatever process I was in. “Pause, What a Pleasure.” was something I learned from a Kabballah One course I took by David Ghyiam. I use it anytime I want to overreact or panic about a situation that I definitely cannot control.

I Walk About It

Over the summer, I walked over 300 miles around the tiny pond in my backyard in less than four months. Six times around the pond is a mile. In the beginning, I was walking very quickly toward nothingness. I was tracking my miles on my Apple Watch like I had something to prove to the person I thought I was.

At first, I worried that my neighbors might think I was crazy, but then I stopped caring about how I looked. Once I slowed down and walked to the sounds of nature instead of listening to music or podcasts, I began to hear the beautiful melodies of the natural world. I can’t wait to walk again with the warm winds against my face and enjoy the soundtrack of spring.