Healthy Chicks

Good evening lovely ladies! Sorry If I may have been a bit MIA lately, but that’s because I just got back from a two-night camping excursion by the water in Gloucester, MA. And I went the entire camping trip unplugged. You heard that right: no laptop, phone, emails, texting, tweeting or anything of the like. I was 100% completely unplugged.

I won’t lie: the unplugging wasn’t necessarily by choice at first. While I had purposefully left my Mac back at home to take a mini break from work stuff, I had not planned for my phone to die on me during the first hour of our trip.

And although I felt a little naked without my phone the first couple hours, suddenly it felt refreshing…enlightening almost. Ahh…so this is what it feels like to be fully & completely disconnected. Damn did it feel good.

But why should unplugging be reserved for camping trips, quiet time and “No Signal” zones? Here are 4 reasons to unplug, shut down and enjoy your life starting now (no matter what situation you’re in):

1. You are Able to Be More Present With Your Loved Ones: When you’re constantly plugged in, you aren’t giving your full attention to those around you. This can make the people whom you’re with feel like they aren’t important or worthy of your time. Trust me, The Boy and I have got in our fair share of tiffs about this very matter. Just as you wouldn’t be online during your fave TV show or texting during an important work meeting, we should make more effort to do the same in our personal life. How can you be more present with your loved ones? Check out my latest article on KnowMoreTV for 5 ways to be more present with your partner now!

2. You Appreciate the Beauty Around You: While unplugged the past couple of days, I was able to appreciate my surroundings and see the beauty in the simple things. From our killer fire-pit to the breathtaking view of the water, my wavy beach hair to the fact that The Boy walked me to the bathroom with a flashlight late at night, I was totally mesmerized by the beautiful things around me. If I had been plugged in, I may have missed out on appreciating the now. What may you be missing out on while plugged in 24/7? What are some of life’s simple joys that you appreciate most?

3. Your Creative Juices Flow With Ease: A few weeks ago, I decided to shut down to enjoy an afternoon at the beach with my family. Within just a few minutes, my mind was filled with creative thoughts and ideas that I just had to get out. I sprinted to the car to grab a notebook and within an hour I had dozens of pages written down filled with juicy inspiration. What I had created would have taken me weeks during a typical work-week but without distractions I was able to create something in minutes. You can do the same! Unplug for an entire day (or at least a set chunk of time), and see where the pen takes you!

4. You Become More in Tune with Your Body: When you unplug from technology and other distractions, you are able to look within and listen to your body more carefully. Your choices become more about what your body wants versus what you think it wants or what you “should” want. How do you feel? What is your body craving? What types of activities and foods make you feel alive and which drain you? When you’re in tune with your body, you start acting intuitively and make better choices overall.

Do you take the time to unplug? What is one thing you can commit to this week to live a more unplugged life?