When was the last time something you did felt light? Do you find yourself mindlessly scrolling on your phone, thinking it’s helping you to relax? I’ve been there you tell yourself I’m just going to scroll…for about 20 minutes and that turns into a couple of hours. You’re not alone. The algorithm is set up that way to give you hits of dopamine to keep you drawn in. Hobbies can genuinely improve your mental heath.
You scroll to relax and it turns into more time wasted. It doesn’t actually leave you feeling any better. Sometimes what your’e looking at can stir up certain emotions and then, there’s the click bait to make you click onto the next article or video.
What we reach for isn’t always what we need at the moment. Busy doesn’t always mean fulfilled. Every minute of the day doesn’t have to be consuming something. I started to realize that rest didn’t always look like scrolling. Sometimes, the things that actually restore you are the ones that engage you. This is where I began to question what I had been calling rest.
The Shift From Consuming to Engaging
Think about taking up something new- like learning a language, writing, or journaling your thoughts. This is doing,not just scrolling. I started to notice the difference when I engaged my mind instead of just filling time. The things I enjoyed began to bring out a more creative side of me. Lately, I’ve been learning Spanish, and it’s been rewarding to focus on something new that feels both engaging and fun. It felt different -because it was.
The V.I.B.E. Framework That Helped Me Slow Down
That’s when I came across a framework that made it all make sense. The V.I.B.E. Framework- shared by MIT Monk on YouTube- he explains how we focus and reconnect with ourselves in a more intentional way. Getting back to real-life connections- beyond social media.
- V- Vitality = Doing things that give you energy instead of draining it.
- I- Inquiry = Getting curious about what you actually need, instead of moving on autopilot.
- B- Belonging = Spending time with people, friends, and environments that feel real and supportive.
- E- Expression = Creating, speaking or doing something that let’s you be your authentic self.
- S- Stillness= Taking moments to pause-without distraction or noise. Just be no doing.
It made me realize that slowing down isn’t about doing nothing- sometimes it‘s about doing the right things with intention.
Maybe nothing really changed. May be I just started paying attention to what actually brings me back to myself. Less noise. More intention. And just more of what feels real.