I have to be honest – I wasn’t sure I wanted to come back.

The first few days were tough, battling the not knowing, the not being (seemingly) engaged. I had to work at curbing the reflex of reaching for my phone, a reflex I didn’t even realize I had. Despite having had some practice (last year, I attended a 10-day silent vipassana meditation course during which no technology, books, journals or communication – except with your teacher – was allowed), four to five days passed before I was able to move past the anxiety, waiting it out, watching it eventually fade and pass away.

Then, at about the half-way point, a new and very palpable discomfort arose: life got very, very quiet. It was incredibly unsettling at first, but also very thought provoking. What exactly in or about the quiet was making me uncomfortable? Was I actually missing something or was I just no longer used to the quiet?

I waited and I watched. And I tried to get to know my uneasiness, slowly adapting to its weight, its texture and its effects on my body; steadily working loose the knots of interweaving fears and anxieties to get a clearer picture; carefully exploring the crevices and unearthing so much valuable information that had been hidden away.

Last Sunday, I decided to go on a 24-hour digital detox: no surfing, no social media, no messaging, no Netflix.... You get the picture. The day was spent meditating (the whole thing started with me planning a half-day of meditation), reading (my Kindle was allowed, but hard copy books were used too) and walking my dog. 

The next day, I had multiple light-bulb moments. Incredibly clear, embodied certainty about where I needed to focus my attention and efforts and what path was right for me. 

So, I figured, if one day of cutting digital usage in my life resulted in these breakthroughs, what would additional days do?