The world feels like a strange place at the moment. As I write this, I’m packing a suitcase to travel to Bulgaria for a ten-day Digital Reset as part of an Erasmus+ programme, and it’s happening at a time when social media feels louder and more relentless than ever. The stream of information, opinions, fear, images, and urgency often feels like more than I have the capacity to process. Sometimes my brain feels like it’s imploding! How about you?
I’m not entirely sure what I feel about stepping away and Disconnecting to Reconnect. Part of me wonders if I’ll miss something important. Another part of me suspects that switching off my phone for ten days might be one of the healthiest things I can do. My reliance on my device has quietly deepened over time – for information, for comfort, for entertainment, for connection, for reassurance. And while all of those things have value, I find myself questioning how much of them should really be coming from a screen, rather than from other people and the tactile world around me.
I don’t have answers. What I do have is curiosity. Curiosity about how social media shapes our behaviour, our attention, and our emotional wellbeing. Curiosity about how often we reach for our phones automatically, and what we might find if we paused instead.
I’m looking forward to learning a great deal during this Disconnecting to Reconnect training and to sharing those insights in next month’s article. My other real concern, if I’m honest, is the minus temperatures in Bulgaria! How often will I get to step outside and stretch my legs?
So while I’m away, I’ll ask you to do me a small favour. Get outside when you can. Move your body. Connect with nature. Go for a walk. Be present. Don’t bring your phone! Be kind to yourself. See you on the other side. Walk Your Way Well.