As the clock struck midnight and the new year began, I had never felt so free. The countdown has ended. The wait was over. I’m letting go of social media and stepping back from the constant pull of my cellphone.

Today’s society feels like it’s spinning out of control. We live in a world where most people are glued to the black screens they carry around everywhere they go. How many of you have personally been the victim of someone not looking at you when speaking because they’re scrolling on their phone? Now how many of you have done that to someone else? Don’t get me wrong technology has its benefits and I will still be using my laptop and computer when I need to. It’s just very easy to get caught up in technology and miss the moments that matter most. I want to change that.

Over the past few years, I’ve found myself increasingly consumed by the constant buzz of social media, notifications, and endless scrolling. It wasn’t just stealing my time, it was stealing my ability to be fully present in the world around me. I felt disconnected from the real moments in life. Even more so in my relationship with my daughter. It became clear that something had to change.

2024 was the year of reflection for me. I took a step back from social media. I posted less and less. I realized how little I enjoyed it. Social media encourages a false sense of connection and I wanted something deeper and more meaningful. Instead of taking pictures for Instagram stories, I began to focus on being present in the moment. I rediscovered my love for reading books and also for writing, which I had done a lot of as a kid.

My 2025 New Year’s resolution:

I was saying goodbye to all of my social media accounts and my cellphone. I informed my family of the big change and posted on Facebook for the first time since January of 2024. I wanted to give all of my friend the capability of reaching me if they wanted to. So, I let them know that from now on they would need to call me directly and that if they didn’t want to call they were more than welcome to write me a handwritten letter. And then on New Years Day I deactivated and deleted EVERYTHING! Facebook, Instagram, Tik Tok, even Pinterest!

Eventually, I plan to get a home phone. (I’ve been scouring thrift stores for a vintage rotary phone. No luck yet!). Of course, I will still carry my cellphone for safety reasons. As a single mom, you never know when you need to call 911. Nevertheless, it will stay tucked away in my bag unless it’s truly needed. I no longer use it as a device for distractions. If I’m not home, I simply don’t answer. Just as if I only had a landline.

But what about taking pictures or videos? Well for capturing life’s moments, I’ve ditched the convenience of my smartphone camera and returned to something more intentional. My Fuji camera. There’s something magical about taking a photo, knowing you can’t instantly see it, and waiting for the image to fully develop. Each photo feels more meaningful, more real, and less disposable. I also have my Nikon camera that had been sitting on the shelf for years sadly. I’m very excited to pull up it out and get back into taking landscape photos.

This change hasn’t been instant, and it hasn’t been without its challenges. It’s strange, at first, to break away from the habits we’ve built around technology. The hardest part for me has been simply trying to explain something that I could easily google and send a link to so that the person I was chatting with would see right away was I was talking about. But with each passing day, I feel lighter, more connected, and more present in the world around me. My friends and family have called and we have the most amazing conversations that cover twenty different topics in the span of 10 MINUTES!!!!! Now that is just something texting simply can’t accomplish. Hearing the laughter in their voices and their tones. It’s a beautiful thing.

I know this journey isn’t for everyone, but for me, it feels right. It’s a step toward living intentionally and embracing the beauty of the present moment without the distractions of screens and social media.

If you’re reading this, pick up the phone, or better yet, grab some pen and paper. Let’s bring back the beauty of handwritten letters and real conversations.

Here’s to a quieter, more intentional 2025. One Unplugged moment at a time.

Wishing you all a happy and peaceful new year,
The Unplugged Mama