For the longest time I’ve thought about creating my own personal blog. It sort of makes sense as someone who has found writing to be a fun way to process my thoughts and ideas over the years. Mostly for myself to look back on one day — or maybe my kids too. Either way, creating my own blog has been something that I’ve had penciled on my to-do list for quite some time.
Recently, I found myself using ChatGPT to figure out how much screen time I was spending scrolling on social media and how that translated into actual time in my life. I wanted to get very deep and direct in that research in a way that might open my eyes and force me to make a change. The results were pretty overwhelming to say the least:
I was spending 6+ hours a day on screens, which adds up to nearly 8 full years of my life over 30 years.
That’s almost 40% of my waking life — gone to apps, feeds, and pixels.
Most of us are unknowingly trapped in this loop, with over 70% of adults admitting they feel addicted.
I’d lose nearly a full year of time with Dakota over the next 5 years due to looking down at a screen instead of looking down into her growing eyes.
Instead of scrolling, I’m choosing to write, reflect, and reclaim my time — and that starts with this blog.
I’m moving away from the social pressure and addiction that comes with social media apps like Instagram, TikTok, Facebook. Any apps on my phone that are designed to be addictive rather than useful, are being deleted. A new chapter in my life story set to begin.
So what do I expect to get out of writing here? What can someone reading this expect from me? If I’m being completely honest, I’m not entirely sure yet. On the one hand the idea of writing and putting my thoughts on the screen sound “cool”. On the other, I’m a bit afraid of being vulnerable and sharing things that have typically only showed up in my journal. I guess the fun in writing here will be in finding the balance in all of that… sharing enough to make this space meaningful and real as an archive of my life’s most important moments.
Unlike other blogs, I don’t have a specific niche I’m focused on writing for. This is my blog and my approach to it is one of sharing thoughts as they come in — of processing life in a natural way that leaves footprints for where I’ve been and where I’m excited to be going next. The victories and successes as well as the lows and disappointments.
The promise I will make is that what I share here is all real and all directly from me.