I was emotionally exhausted, and knew I had to make a change. Time flew by, and I had little to show for it. Depression and thoughts about the limitations of my physical body (my nemesis) started to creep in. I was frazzled and easily offended. Hiding these emotions pushed me deeper into to social media, where I compared my feelings to the filtered lives of others. Yep, I’ll admit it. I was a mess. It was a struggle to find time to finish things that I needed to get done.
I looked at how I was spending my time, and found the culprit in plain sight.
I made a decision to take social media ‘vacation’ for the month of January. I knew I had been squandering too many hours each day with mindless scrolling. Yes, I missed a few birthdays—which I am sad about. I also missed, I am sure, lots of cat pictures/videos, gossip, and the like. I didn’t see the delicious food my ‘friends’ ate for lunch and fun places they went. But, overall, the FOMO was nonexistent after the first few days.
Repurposing this newly gifted time to focus on prayer and God’s Word brought clarity to my daily schedule. I spent time in my prayer closet and in my Bible. I drafted a book in 3 weeks! Whew! My days seemed to expand as I enjoyed more time in my sewing room designing and playing with fabric. Comment below or email me if you want to see what I’ve been making. My creativity is blossoming!
Yes, I will go back to Facebook—I may even learn how to use Instagram—or not, time will tell.) I’m not in a hurry. When I do, the time spent on it will be minimal and positive.
Is there something gobbling up your time and emotional well-being? For me, it was social media. It is different for everyone. It could be clutter, toxic friendships, overcommitment (even at church—yikes, I’m sure I’ll hear from someone about that). Even time spent doing ‘good’ can take a toll on your spirit. It is true.
My prayer is that whoever reads this feels freedom and clarity. If there is something to release, that it be done gracefully. If clutter is your stressor, check out my older posts on the topic.
Final note: When you release your time gobbler, be sure to replace it with prayer, Bible reading, and good and positive things—maybe even rest!
Above all, REJOICE.
Psalm 33
In love,
Tammy
P.S. If you’d like to join me in a 12-week study, check out From Pain to Purpose https://a.co/d/8pFK5Nr