A little over a month ago I put my life on a diet. My lifestyle isn’t excessive by any stretch of the imagination. I do my best to adhere to the principles of minimalism, but am always looking for ways to improve.
From an emotional standpoint, I knew that February was going to be a rough month. That, combined with the feeling of being pulled in several opposing directions, prompted a little bit of “inventory control” on my part.
On the first day of my “diet” I met up with an old friend for lunch. The next day was spent with a friend from college who recently had a baby. Later in the week, I met a friend for coffee on her lunch break. You can facebook, tweet and text all you want, it might be quicker or more convenient, but there is no substitute for human interaction.
I committed myself to practicing Bikram yoga three days a week. I am learning, slowly, to embrace the stillness of a posture and to breathe during difficult situations.
I stopped carrying my phone everywhere. There is nothing so important that it can’t wait an hour or two.
I started taking my dog for longer walks. This winter served as a wake up call that she isn’t getting any younger. We are both benefiting from the extra miles.
What I have learned through this process is that, like with most things in life, there are trade offs. I have become more in tune with myself, but it has come at the expense of becoming somewhat disconnected from others who rely too heavily on social media to keep in touch.
And so, the onus falls on me, to strike that balance between staying true to myself and indulging in the world of others, a world in which I am not so fond of, a world in which I feel slightly out of place.
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