I do not carry a phone with me.
On top of that, I do not own a smartphone.
On top of THAT, I do not text.
Questioning my relationship.
Back in 2013 ish I decided to turn down the relationship intensity with my Blackberry device.
Things seemed to moving too fast. I needed some distance.
I felt a nagging co-dependence and anxiety with the relationship as it was.
How it all started.
(the plan)
I figured I will leave the phone home for one week and see how life ended or didnt without my Blackberry with me.
That was the plan.
“Plans change but decisions dont”.
So, One morning I bravely placed the device on silent and placed it in the kitchen cabinet.
Interestingly, I had turned the device off, before it was placed in the cabinet but a wave of anxiety came over me so I settled for a “slient” setting.
Off to work I go.
One brief moment feeling free, then next (and most moments after) anxious and honestly, a bit scared!
Plagued by frequent anxiety in the form of Phantom vibrate syndrome and reaching for my phone between bites of lunch and each breath
or any moment alone left me with …..nothing!
After the s first week, I felt a bit better about my survival unarmed with tech at every place I may be.
Week two…anxiety slightly fading, replaced by longer moments of bliss and a rare “freedom” that
I had not felt since before I owned a cell phone!
Over time I downshifted from a Blackberry to a flip phone. That new phone also stayed at the house.
Then- I mustered the courage up to try not texting .
I bravely deleted texting from my plan.
Almost immediately I noticed less anxiety.
FACT – Texting DOES create anxiety!
PROOF….
-I would hear a text alert and my mind would think “that needs to be handled….NOW”. ANXIETY.
– Missing out on text(ing) ? ANXIETY.
“Cant live with it, cant live without”.
This is a lose-lose! A double edged sword. Im Done living on edge!
So, I decided that the relationship had to end. It was a hard decision. It always is.
Becuase of the time apart, I realized that I was happier and more relaxed before we even met.
Im just more “me” without “you”.
You will never understand just how much “instant“everything
erodes your God given peace while your fully immersed in this tech high speed circus called “smart” and tote it along everywhere with you.
Kinda like…..fish dont know they are in water.
Friction creates sanity.
(2026 and still no phone with me)
I run my businesses(s) from a combination of a classic land line phone and email.
The land line hardwired phone stays firmly planted at my office.
Email is only (easily) available at my office on the firmly planted PC.
My office is a mile from my house.
This is what I call friction.
When Im home, with my family, or my own thoughts I may “think” about checking
email but I literally can not do so.
Friction.
This friction creates SANITY!
Im still old enough to remember when world didnt follow us home!
When we were mostly single tasking – therefore present. “Natural”.
^^Its even being PREACHED NOW!^^
In Conclusion.
(Why I dont carry a phone)
I will Keep this simple.
Its not about what I choose to not to have or do. Its about where and how I participate.
Its about what remains intact.
Sanity, peace and life at lifes speed.
FOMO = The Fear of missing out. Thats FEAR.
What about JOMO?
JOMO = The JOY of “missing out!”
24/7 participation in this multi tasking, distraction saturated tech distopia is not producing what we really desire.
I prefer what this simple life choice offers verses my former anxiety riddled mind and body.
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Welcome to the R3volution.
You are not alone !
-Scott