2 weeks ago, I made a decision to log off Facebook. I had come to an uncomfortable crossroad where I was genuinely questioning my true intentions of being glued to this social networking site.

What was I trying to gain? Why was I measuring my self-value in terms of “likes? What would I learn by quitting, even for just a week?  These and a flurry of other questions resonated on my mind throughout my evening till I said enough was enough.

I had a friend change my password.

I deleted the Facebook mobile app.

And I hesitantly opened up my arms, welcoming in a new world, clean free of Facebook.

Here are 5 Lessons that I learned from this short, but empowering experience:

1. Online-Only Friends Really Do Exist

Facebook makes it extremely easy and comfortable to build a relationship through the exchange of daily/weekly interactions through chatting, wall posts, tags, etc.

The good? Accessibility and access to sharing links. The bad? Becoming complacent with this digital relationship and missing out on the beauty that comes with in-person, face-to-face interactions.

2. Being Alone Isn’t Easy, But It Helps

During the first three nights, I struggled in filling what seemed to be an invisible hole that had gradually formed in my emotional state. But in those moments of silence, I had more opportunities to just reflect and to think. It was just, easier.

3. Less Distractions, More Productivity

As we all know, Facebook is distracting. There is no denying that. It’s why we block it before a big test. In college, I resorted to this method only when I was at my deepest depths of desperation. But it would never last for more than four days.

Now that I had an chance to experiment with this method for two weeks and apply it toward learning and doing things that I actually want to do, the results have been absolutely gratifying.

No Facebook + Things I’m Curious About + Free Time = 🙂

4. Lower Expectations, Lower Your Ego

When analyzing for solutions to some of my questions, I realized that the root of my problems came from two things.

The first, my expectations when it came to numbers and responses. When the level of expectation didn’t meet results, disappointment followed. Disappointment which lead to the questioning of self-worth, ludicrous placement of anger, and other pessimistic thoughts that are not even worth entertaining.

The second, my ego. My Facebook Ego had slowly built up gradually year after year when I was in college as the number of friends increased and my “status” changed as well. And when an update, post or whatever didn’t get the reception that I wanted, my ego got hurt. Hurting never feels good. But when I look at the bigger picture of things, it becomes obviously clear how un-fulfilling all of this is and how it needs to change.

And it will, gradually.

5. Why We Still Need Facebook

Alas, we still need Facebook. It’s become integrated into our social lives in a variety of ways. From having an efficient way to plan events, store pictures, and building a timeline of embarrassing moments for our future selves to laugh at, Facebook has continually stepped up in being more than just a endless scroll of updates, check-ins, and Candy Crush requests.

For me now, it’s become the most direct way to share my thoughts to my audience, and hopefully beyond. It’s also a fantastic way to plan events for my housemates and to upload photos to share.

And as long as I center my focus on those reasonings, I can slowly begin to worry less about all the other insignificant “rewards” that also come with being a member of Facebook.

But hey that’s me.

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My Challenge To You

Get off Facebook for at least a week.

See what happens. Ask yourself those uncomfortable questions. Throw yourself into the unknown.

For some of you, the journey will not be easy. For others, it’ll be a seamless transition. Regardless of your rate of adaption, I am supremely confident that fresh and organic thoughts will spring up and hopefully, gently change the course of your mind and actions when it comes to Facebook.

So my last question to you is this,

What are you waiting for?

AL

TIME SHIFTS

Time, what a precious and valuable thing you are. It’s interesting to see how the concept of time shifts in parallel with one’s current life situation. During my first couple years of college, time for me represented a window of opportunity to explore and experience. To be able to excuse irresponsibility and poor decisions because of the lack of  dire consequences that came as a result (except for a bad hangover). As those years passed by, my mindset slowly shifted to highlight priorities such as developing my career and expanding my network. Time became more valuable and less infinite. I carried this mentality throughout my final months of college, enjoying the time spent in my organizations, the conversations I had with my friends, and the spontaneity of escaping to the beach on a Tuesday afternoon.

Then I graduated.

And began working 40 hour weeks.

Time became more valuable and less infinite, but in a different sense. As my life situation changed,  the concept of time also changed. Time became more valuable because of the shortage of hours that I was able to dedicate to myself and time felt less infinite because I knew my Twenties will one day be over. And though this is obvious to everyone and may sound pessimistic to some, trust me when I say that I am writing this with joy and optimistic urgency. Let’s inspect the first part of valuing time.

BE MORE

Take some time to think about your daily routines and habits pre-work and post-work. Be brutally honest with yourself and ask yourself this question, “am I better than who I was yesterday?” It’s incredibly easy to fall into a complacent and comfortable routine of coming home from a long day of work…watch Netflix….play some video games….surf the web….or for me, watch sports. And before you know it, it’s time for bed. For a majority of the United States, and if not the world, this is normal. Normal is good right?

Living a normal life is good. It’s easy. But I vigorously believe that there is no better time than NOW to be more than just, normal. Though we have less hours, we have so much more freedom in pursuing after goals, discovering new hobbies, learning things that YOU want to learn about, and so much more. The habits that we establish today are the ones we’re going to carry ten, twenty years down the line. And yes I understand that we need our breaks and time to just relax, we are after all human beings, not robots! But what I want to ingrain in you is a fresh perspective and mindset to allocate just a little more time into improving yourself. To be more than just normal, to be better than who you were yesterday.

PRECIOUS 20’S

By now, I’m sure you’ve read your fair share of articles on buzzFeed, Thought Catalogue, Linkedin, etc. on topics revolving around all things related with our 20’s, so I’ll keep this section short. My dad once told me that everyone is given an equal amount of 24 hours a day to do what they want with it. Once that 24 hours expires, it’s gone, forever. Everyone at some point during their day, week, or even hour will find their minds reminisce on the past. For some, it evokes a quiet chuckle from an embarrassing moment, for others, a slow shake of the head filled with regret. We’ll reach this point again when we’re in our 30’s, when we we’re married, when we see our grandkids walk their first steps. And we’ll reflect back on our both specific moments of our Twenties as well as our Twenties as a whole. What do you think you’ll be thinking to yourself then?

Our Twenties are a precious time.

Don’t waste it.

AN EXTRA-ORDINARY LIFE

My goal here is not to tell you what the correct path to life is. After all, I’m just a 22 year living and dealing with the same ups and downs as many of you. But I firmly believe that the times and the circumstances that I am living in now is valuable like gold. I refuse to relegate myself to mundanity and have and will continue to do all I can to be more than just ordinary.

Will you join me?

Cheers,

AL

I was incredibly lucky to experience nature in her finest display of beauty this past weekend in Zion National Park, Utah. Throughout my time there,  a thought seemed to echo again and again in my mind that reaffirmed my appreciation and love for nature.

Man will always be able to replicate the design of man-made objects, but man will never be able to replicate the design of nature. 

Take a moment and think of the most breathtaking man-made object that you have ever seen in person, on the Internet, in a book, or even through the vivid descriptions of another person. Perhaps you are seeing a cathedral,  skyscraper, or even a castle? For me, what comes to mind is the Statue of Liberty. In a trip to New York in high school, I was fascinated by the history of the Statue of Liberty and all the labor that was exerted to transport it from one side of the ocean to the other. And even more so, the intricate design that went into creating the face, crown, torch, and all the other pieces that give the Statue of LIberty her near human like look. Since high school, I have been blessed to travel and see many other magnificent sights constructed by the innumerable hours of planning, designing and constructing, of man.

And while these objects are undoubtedly stunning and will continue to be sights for millions to see, I couldn’t help but wonder how capable we, as human beings are in replacing such objects. Sure, it might take x amount of years, energy, money, and resources to do it, but eventually, I personally think it can be done. This observation hasn’t made me appreciate man-made objects any less, but it has certainly elevated my love for nature. There is just something so cool in seeing something that you know can never, and will never be replaced in its physical entirety both now in 2013 and a million years from now.

Now take a moment and think of the most breathtaking moment of nature you have experienced in person, seen on the internet, in a book, or even through the vivid descriptions of another person. Perhaps you are seeing a canyon, an ocean, or even a waterfall? For me, what comes to mind is the “Angel’s Landing” hike I did in Zion National park this morning. After an hour of grueling incline up through the canyon and having to even use chains at one point, I was awarded with a magnificent view of the surrounding peaks and the whispers of the mountain top breeze. But what impressed me the most was when peeking down the steep side of the nearest cliff by me, the details of every line and brilliance of colors engraved into its side. Then I looked at another cliff and saw a dissimilar arrangement of lines and colors and again at a different cliff. I started to bring back this thought of how man would even begin designing and building these cliffs and after a few minutes of brainstorming, I simply laughed, shook my head, and smiled.

Again, my goal here is not to belittle man-made objects and all the hard work and resources that are invested in it, but to introduce a fresh perspective into nature and how one can find new appreciation for it. So please, the next time you’re out hiking, backpacking, or even peeking out the window from a plane, take a few seconds and just ponder about the uniqueness and irreplaceable wonders of nature.

Cheers,
AL