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Week 1: How To Start A Powerful Quiet Time Practice — While Still Living Your Life
As someone who's always on the go, I find it difficult to completely unplug. I'm always connected—whether it's from the obligations of my busy work life or even my personal life, nourishing and maintaining connections with my family and friends around the globe. I definitely consider myself somewhat of a techie, who loves the latest thing, so that makes any kind of digital detox challenging as well.
But on the flip side, I'm also a Louisiana country girl who's super comfortable barefoot and free. So when I do carve out time to visit my mother in the small town of my birth (and I mean small—it literally has only two streetlights), somehow I manage to release the cravings of my D.C. life and melt slowly into the beauty of my natural surroundings.
The sweet moments of morning dew on the grass, birds taking a pit stop on the patio, eating veggies from my mother's garden, and dipping my toes in a nearby lake all serve as inspirations to unwind and reset my soul.
Having a daily meditation practice is my primary tool for unplugging.
Within 24 hours, I've natured up—I've surrendered to the present, having given myself permission to drop-in. Even my Southern drawl creeps in! The emotional landscape of a few days in my family home also gives me minutes on top of hours to write poetry, meditate at my leisure, and entirely escape the trappings of my smartphone.
I know what you are thinking: Is it possible to capture this vibe when I'm not visiting my mother? Yes, but it requires a little effort, commitment, and a creative mix of bringing nature into my daily life. Here are a few of my own personal tips on achieving a digital detox—or more feasibly, a quiet time practice—within the normal flow of life.
Ready to nature up?
Faith's quiet time tip
Moments of silence are often hard to find in this modern world. As a young girl, I hated the silence in our backyard and laughed loudly when our hound-dog Rocky uncontrollably barked while chasing nothing. As an adult, experiencing silence is essential to my overall well-being. Having a daily meditation practice is my primary tool for unplugging.
Depending on what I need and the time of year, my meditation practice may include complete silence, or 3 to 11 minutes of a mantra followed by silence. Both create a portal for me to breathe in stillness and cultivate a platform of harmony that I carry throughout the day, even when I'm back online. After my meditation practice, I sometimes grab my journal for a few additional moments of quiet time while sipping on a cup of tea. By the way, the phone is on silence and tucked away.
Top swaps
There's something special about the vibrant scents crafted by Mother Nature—like the smell of mint from the garden in my sleepy Louisiana hometown and the tropical hints of coconut when I am visiting the Caribbean. So I've committed to making my bathroom a digital-free zone, which gives me space to enjoy my natural skin care rituals without interruption.
One of my favorites is Tom's of Maine Coconut Beauty Bar. The creamy lather feels luscious on my skin while the natural essence of the coconut soothes my soul. And to further keep me in step with nature, I use Tom's of Maine Long-Lasting Wild Lavender Deodorant. It's derived from plants and minerals with no petrochemicals or artificial fragrances (and gives me a full day of odor protection, to boot). The really cool part is that my man Karl has also jumped on the "digital-free zone" bathroom bandwagon. He gives himself a few extra moments of deep breathing each morning while applying Tom's of Maine new Men's Mountain Spring Antiperspirant. It offers 48-hour wetness and odor protection, and he says the mountain spring scent reminds him of his backpacking days in Colorado. And lastly, my post-shower chill involves the blissful application of a natural, plant-based body butter to hold in the moisture.
Shop Faith's Picks:
In the kitchen
To this day, my mother says, "my cooking is a reflection of my heart." It's true because her focus is entirely on the meal. Following in her heart prints, I always unplug while preparing my meals with the heart-filled intentions infused in each morsel, even if I only have a few minutes to spare. Because I'm a sucker for eggs and spinach, I love making a Quickie Scramble with a side of Veggie Bacon. With a simple whisk of the wrist, coconut oil, and a pinch of sea salt, love is served.
Get the full recipe & more mindful ideas in this 7-day meal plan!
Mindful movement
One of the significant benefits of movement is releasing static energy. On those chaotic days when I desperately need to stop, drop, and meditate but can't seem to sit still, I move my body for a few minutes to create space and settle the mind.
A seated spinal twist always seems to help unwind the mental clutter housed in the physical body. As I lengthen through the spine and extend through the crown of my head, I visualize creating space between the vertebrae and grounding through my hips in preparation for meditation. As you move into the new year, allow your digital detox to flow naturally into daily activities. Be creative, and your unplugged moments may even start to blend effortlessly from morning to night.
Want to learn more? Follow along with our 4-week Wellness Reboot and find out how more mbg wellness experts NatureUp!
WEEK 1: Faith Hunter on simplifying the digital detox
WEEK 2: Leah Goldglantz on going natural with a growing family
WEEK 3: Betina Gozo on finding health and wellness through fitness
WEEK 4: Cassandra Bodzak on practicing holistic self-care
