20 Days Without a Phone

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Think back to the last time you didn’t have your phone on your person. Maybe you accidentally left it in the car while you enjoyed a meal at a restaurant or left it at home while you went on a walk. I oftentimes prefer leaving my phone at home or in the car when connecting to nature. Without that distraction, I find it easier to meditate, hear from my spirit guides, and get clearer guidance on how to move forward. My favorite concerts are ones where I can leave my phone in the hotel room or Airbnb. It’s rare, but still my favorite!

My first hike without a phone at Cape Forchu near Yarmouth, Nova Scotia!

Recently I’ve been debating getting a “dumb phone” and have expressed this desire out loud to a few people. Well, the Universe responded by assisting in me losing my phone on the ferry from Bar Harbor, Maine to Yarmouth, Nova Scotia. I boarded the ferry with a phone and de-boarded without it. I can come up with excuses… I was sort of sea-sick and very woozy. This probably led to an easier time misplacing it, although I’ve never lost a phone indefinitely in my 20 years of owning a phone.

My seasickness in all it's glory! And the last photographic proof that I indeed HAD a phone.

Regardless of the “how,” the “what” is I didn’t have a cellular device in the great nation of Canada and due to a series of unfortunate events, I didn’t have one for 20 whole days!! I’m not sure I’ll ever have the chance to experience such a long period of time without a cell phone again, so I thought it was worthwhile to capture my biggest takeaways. Here they are, in no particular order:

Less time on social media is good:

I could only access Instagram and Facebook while connected to WiFi on my laptop. Therefore, I wasn’t completely shut out of the meta verse but I accessed it a LOT less frequently. And I really enjoyed that! In fact, I already set a 30-minute per day limit on each app now that I have a phone. There’s no reason, in my recent experience, I need to spend more time scrolling feeds and reels. I appreciate the connection it provides (which is why I’m not removing them completely) but my goal is to continue using my laptop for social media access and my phone for connection.

It's impossible to miss a sunset when you don't have anywhere else to look!

More reading and writing please:

Instead of being on my phone, I really enjoyed reading. I took a book with me everywhere I went (yes, including the bathroom… see below) and read a lot more than I usually do! It felt good to immerse myself in a story throughout the day instead of distract myself with social media and blue light. I also have been writing a lot more, like blog content and I've been keeping a travel diary of our time in Canada. Writing also feels really good for me! It’s a fun creative outlet I got to tap into more frequently than when I have a phone in my pocket or hands.

Pooping is harder:

Okay, scroll past this one if you don’t love poop talk…. But seriously, those 90’s poops were tough! I had nothing to really entertain me, besides my book, so I couldn’t really sit on the toilet long enough for a good poop to come. The patience the phone gives you while sitting is important! Let's just say I'm glad to have one again...

I miss my friends and family:

It was really difficult feeling completely disconnected from so many amazing people. Turns out, I missed texting and talking the most, so maybe my desire for a dumb phone isn’t too far off… It was very isolating at times, especially after a solid 3 or 4 days without WiFi connection. It was easy to believe I have no friends and to hear negative self talk. Now that I have a phone I’ve enjoyed texting and calling SO many friends already! And if you haven’t heard from me, and you have my number, please reach out!! I missed hearing from you, believe me!

Connecting with myself WAS a lot easier:

For the same reasons I love leaving my phone behind, before losing it (while hiking, going to concerts, or being out with loved ones) I really enjoyed the deep connection I felt to myself, the Divine, and nature. Without the distraction of a computer in my pocket, I paid a lot more attention to the birds in the sky, the water moving through rivers, bays, and oceans, the colors of the leaves on trees and bushes, and the ways that all organisms are comprised of the same stuff. I felt more connected with source energy, and that felt incredible!

Needless to say, I couldn’t have gone 20 days without a phone if my partner didn’t have one. Huge shout out to him for helping us navigate around, find places to stay, pick yummy restaurants, take amazing pictures, and check in with my parents every once and a while. Not having a phone for that long was a luxury because I had his help. Without him (and his phone) I would have gotten one a lot sooner. So, thank you, from the very bottom of my heart.

A picture from the ferry, before the seasickness fully set in!

Now that I’m on day 2 of having a phone again, my hope from this experience is that I purposely leave my phone behind more often. Perhaps for more than a night out or a day hiking but for days or a week at a time. If you’re up for a challenge, I highly encourage you to do the same! Most people I know haven’t gone a day without their phone since they first got one. So, give it a whirl! And please let me know about your experience. I think humanity will have an easier time connecting to each other and supporting each other if we put our technology down more often, and pay attention to what’s going on around us.