I've been doing a lot of reading on Medium lately, specifically about personal growth, and it has lead me to a lot of reflection about my time in Australia - and what it'll be like to be back in Knoxville (in three weeks (!!!)). It also lead me to only use social media in order to post and update or two, and to not mindlessly scroll through multiple timelines, switching from one to another, and to another, after one platform gets boring.
Oh, the highlight reel.
I think we can all agree that it would have been cool to be in the Guinness Book of World Records for the largest Power T (go vols), but on multiple occasions I have found myself saying "Wow I wish I were there for that..." as I viewed an event from Australia.
I do not think that posting things that look better than they actually were to impress people we do not actually like is an a positive benefit of social media. But, before I continue, I will say that I am completely guilty of this and this post isn't to make people who really enjoy social media feel judged. I'm not 'holier than thou.' Recently, though, I have wanted to challenge myself to get grip on my social media usage, because my worth, my satisfaction, and my happiness were becoming increasingly dependent upon likes...and God forbid I go somewhere and without posting it on my story.
I do not want my main source of satisfaction based upon how many people comment heart eyes and fire emojis on my pictures.
So, how can I 'make a mark' these last three weeks as I simultaneously withdraw my social media presence nearly altogether?
Well, as Benjamin Foley writes in this article, I need to start with myself before I can get anywhere else - so I may not be leaving a legacy in Sydney, but in the past two weeks I have begun to make a mark within myself. One that catalyzed growth, challenge, and new habits to make my ephemeral time in Sydney (and on this Earth) a little better.
This blog post is simply an update of a few changes that are still in the beginning stages in my life, so, here are a few:
1. I want to take more pictures and post less of them.
I'd like to print out more pictures than I post, because I feel like holding a memory in my hand is more sentimental, more personal, than sharing it for hundreds of people to see. This will also give me an opportunity to utilize my new camera, but sharpen some photography skills and look for the best way to capture the details and true emotion of a place.
2. I want to read more.
Replacing scrolling with reading has allowed me to take breaks from assignments, but still be productive...so I don't feel guilty if I take a 30-minute break because in that time I read about environmentalists in Honduras, genocide in Egypt, grassroots social movements, hunger in Sudan, and how to maximize my time throughout the day. It's basically a win-win, or as Michael Scott would prefer, a win-win-win.
3. I want to treat my body better.
Let me say this as plainly as possible: I love food. Love it. I also lack motivation to get app off of the couch (prime eating and scrolling place) to go exercise. As of right now, I'm certainly not training at the caliber that I used to, but I do know that movement is necessary at the end of a day spent sitting behind a desk. So, I changed how I eat and how I spend my time in the evening. It used to be Nutella on everything and some really killer grilled cheese whilst watching Married At First Sight, but now it is fruits and vegetables only before dinnertime, no late-night snacking, and exercising daily. The latter routine has helped me sleep better and feel better about myself.
4. I want to appreciate people more.
I used to say this and not mean it, but now I really mean it when I say that the last thing I want to happen when I am hanging out with some friends is we all communally look at some electronic device instead of conversing. I want to be a better listener and I want to put my cell phone face-down and not pick it up when other people are talking, because having to make someone repeat what they said to me (because I was giving more attention to my phone than I was to them) does not make it look like I really appreciate them. I want to give more compliments and make more memories, and the best way for me to do that is to not divide my attention between the multiple people sitting around me, and the thousands of posts at my fingertip.
5. I want to be ready to go when it is time to leave.
That's right. I want to be ready to go. That means that when my time here comes to a close I want to be able to say that I accomplished, explored, and learned a vast majority of the things I wanted to while I was here. I want a crossed off "go to" list and the tan lines to prove it. I do not want to leave too many stones unturned and I want to have a feeling of satisfaction when I look back at all of the things I've done while I lived in Australia. Of course I 100% empathize with the travel bug and the wanderlust vibe, but instead of crying that I only have three weeks left, I want to make the most of them so that I can go home to see my mom, dad, dogs, and best friends and continue to make memories and check off explorations that have been on hold for nearly the past four months.
I want my highlight reel to be my tribe and my mark to be made with the people around me and I presume this whole post can be boiled down to being aware and appreciative of my beautiful life.
"I was within and without, simultaneously enchanted and repelled by the inexhaustible variety of life." -F. Scott Fitzgerald
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