I’ve been experimenting with ways to be more disconnected from technology for a long time, from disabling notifications to using a dumbphone. However, a challenging exercise still hard to do is to go for a walk without my phone.
When I leave my place without my phone, I feel like I’m leaving my pants at home; the whole experience is stressful. What if someone needs me? What if I need it for something? How am I going to survive?
After a few times, I got used to it and realized being disconnected also connects us with a past where people didn’t have cell phones. Can you imagine?
You leave it behind, and now you’re entirely free; no one will bother you with anything, no new likes on Instagram, no new offers on Amazon, no meaningless WhatsApps. Nothing. Just a walk, a great day, and your freedom.
Why does it feel so liberating?
It’s just a device, you might say. Oh no, it’s much more than that. It’s a chain you carry 24/7 connected to the rest of the world, and anyone can pull from the other side. People you care about, sure, but also a random algorithm that thinks you might be hungry, sending you a food delivery offer so you don’t cook today.
Let’s try simplicity and get some freedom for a bit, just a 15-minute walk, no phone, no music, just the world and you, walking and thinking, for once, freely.
