Don't Be Thankful This November

Ahhhh....What an incredibly wild October! Starting by turning 33 in San Diego, CCEF conference, celebrating 13 years of marriage with my lover, Poppo coming to town, Royals captivating the post season, Mississippi State and Ole' Miss clenching college football headlines over and over again, hosting watch parties, crashing other people's watch parties, spontaneous trips to fill our love buckets, blowing up text threads with my hilarious and passionate family, planning fall festivals and trunk-or-treats, and staying up way too late way too many nights doing all of the above. It was such a sweet-sweet month!!

Immediately after the Royals lost last night, I started deleting apps on my phone. This has been my plan all along, win or lose, after the World Series I was going to hibernate during the month of November.

October has been so intense, with SO many moments of random activities tilting my chin and pulling my attention in different directions. I knew if November kept paced with October, I was setting myself up for another ADD kind of month.

I have mostly appreciated the whole "list one thing a day in November that you are thankful for on social media" trend. I like to see people affirming one another and taking the time to focus their energy on gratitude instead of platitude. It's a nice break from statuses typically filled with first world whines. I was thinking about thankfulness, who and what I'm thankful for, and how I wanted to intentionally convey and express that thankfulness this month.

Eighteen months ago I upgraded to a smart phone, if you remember I was NOT happy about it. I can be a little resistant to change and I felt like the iphone was a dirty thief trying to wreak havoc on my life. Eighteen months later, I have found some things I absolutely LURVE about my iphone, and I've discovered ways that, in fact, my iphone is a master thief.

So I've got me a plan. Twice in my recent history, I've taken a technology/iphone break. Each time has proven to be very beneficial. Once, I did a week long fast with my tribe of "7" from ALL technology. We fasted from computers, tvs, and phones (I had a flip phone at the time so I wasn't sacrificing much), and then again this summer when I was clear cutting my life.

I've decided during the month of November to return to a modified fast. I feel like the best way I can show my thankfulness this month is to see the eyeballs of people more and my screen less. That's a daily, minute by minute, hour by hour, way of communicating to the people I'm actually doing life with, "I'm thankful for you!"

So I'm deleting a butt load of life sucking apps that are far too easy and accessible. Every ping, every beep, every notification is far too distracting for my soul. I know, I know, I can turn off all the notifications etc.... But I work best when it's just gone, cause even when I'm not beeping, vibrating, notifying, I'm checking to see IF I will be notified.  UGH! REAL. LIFE.

I'm setting myself up to have to make an intentional decision to walk to my lap top and check in on the world, instead of the world checking in on me at dinner, in the bathroom stall, at the stop light, in the meeting, etc...etc...

In order to better protect the five people I have permanently written on my heart to say yes to, I'm putting up a fence of "no" and "not now" to the clamoring noises coming from my iphone. (Thanks Dawn for the reminder ;)

When I first got my iphone and was pouting about it, my sister in law very gently said the best thing, "make the phone work for you, not the other way around!"

LOVE IT!

So what has made the cut?

Text Messages? STAYING! I'm just so sorry, the love texts I get from my hubby everyday makes this app a non-negotiable. I love the way we can flirt all day long with a simple emoticon or word. Also, everyday I get to text with my entire family on what has to be one the best threads in the universe. There are 9 of us on the thread, and everyday I look forward to seeing how/what everyone is doing. We are spread across the entire nation, and for a few minutes everyday it feels like we are a little bit closer.

Google Maps? Adore! As much as we travel, this little feature is a dream come true. From finding Starbucks and re-routing around massive accidents, this little jewel tops my favorite iphone app.

Camera? Video? Weather? Clock? Calendar? Calculator? Compass? Progressive App? Notes & Voice Notes? Facetime? Tune In? Instagram? MapMyWalk? Music? K-LOVE? Pic Stitch? Sky Map? All staying. I use them, but they don't use me, that's why they get to stay.

A+ Spelling? One word, Julia. It's a keeper.

Bank App? Bless it. The ability to check my balance and deposit a check without having to talk the teller, AMAZING! Never deleting.

One game? Yep. One game for Anderson. For the moments he has to sit through PTO meetings doctor's visits, and lunch meetings.

And that's it folks.
Email? Gone.
Facebook? Gone.
Twitter? Gone.
Fox News App? Gone. * GASP* I know. :)
And so much other white noise.... GONE!

I'm not giving those up entirely, I'm just only accessing them through my lap top when I'm at my work station.

And now my iphone is smart but not thief-LY.
And now my iphone works for me, not me for a device.

I already feel a million pounds lighter!
I already feel more free. More available. Less ADD. More present.

So who wants in? Who wants to try this with me? In lieu of words (which you know I'm a big fan of words!) who wants to DO something this November?

I know the hesitations, I've thought through them. I've been anxious about them. What if work needs me RIGHT NOW? What if the paper trail has to be attended to this second? What if the assignment or the breaking news is life shattering? I can assure you, it's not. It's not that important. It really isn't. Remember when we only just checked our email when we were at a PC? Remember when people CALLED us when they absolutely needed to talk to us? Remember when we all had a little more patience and A LOT more natural space to live and breathe and move?? Remember when we used to drive around and listen to music and talk to our passengers instead of Siri? Ah.... the glory days! Ah... the good ole' days. I'm going back, and I would LOVE to have some company along the way. Leave a comment so I can know you are in. And prepare yourselves for a little more blogging this month as my way of saying "thank you", and because I'll have the time and space to do it!

Thankful and less stolen!
~Sara