In the midst of binge watching Sex and the City—which if you haven’t seen it before, do yourself a favor and immerse yourself ASAP—I noticed something peculiar about the experiences of the four main characters: Carrie, Samantha, Miranda, and Charlotte. Although set in the late 90s and early 2000s, there is an absence of smartphones which sparked a revelation for me. I am so sick of the norms we have created in society that place such a reliance on our screens. Don’t you think the time has come to disconnect? There is immense beauty in life all around us… if only we could put our phones down and actually realize it!
Turn off your notifications, turn on do not disturb, whatever you’ve got to do, give it a shot. If you try to reduce your screen time, you’ll probably find it’s far more rewarding to collect moments of joy in your reality instead of racking up more TikTok videos in the bottomless pit of your liked videos. Don’t know what to do with all this free time on your hands? Just look to the women of Sex and the City as a guide.
Be a Carrie.
You could go shopping for a dazzling new pair of shoes or write an article about your toxic situationship that comes in and out of your life as it’s convenient.
Be a Samantha.
You could find a fling on your next night out or sneak into an exclusive club to sip fruity drinks poolside.
Be a Miranda.
You could go to a baseball game in the day with your girlfriends or stay home with your cat, order takeout, and indulge in your favorite trashy television show.
Be a Charlotte.
You could visit an art gallery and possibly buy a position there or take up a dance class and try learning something new—tap!
Okay, maybe not all of these suggestions are ideal or realistic, but the point is to take full advantage of your life where you only get one go, and find interesting ways to see, hear, smell, taste, and feel the world around you. That is, not involving a screen.
In no way am I trying to shame anyone for falling victim to apps that are made to be addictive for us. Not to mention, I know the comfort in the numbness of doom-scrolling all too well. But it comes to a point where you realize you have been doing that for years of your life and that you are missing out on the great stuff. Imagine how many opportunities or memories you never reached because you decided to just go online.
Social media can be wonderful in moderation and under control. However, I challenge you to disconnect, even if it’s just for a little bit. Get a sense for the joy that Carrie, Samantha, Miranda, and Charlotte are used to in their life prior to smartphones. You deserve it.