I’m personally taking over this #FitnessFriday blog post! I decided to shift the focus from our physical health to our mental health. I want to stress the importance of taking a break from the digital world. I know this seems ironic coming from a blogger but I’ve come to realize I spend way too much time glued to phone. Whether I’m streaming an episode of Shameless on Netflix, scrolling through my Instagram feed (for the hundredth time), or online shopping I’m missing out on the world around me. Social media slowly began to consume my time and thoughts. Instead of just living in the moment I started to think oh wow the sunset looks extra beautiful today let me take a picture for my insta story. Seriously? Why can’t I just enjoy the little things in life without feeling the need to publicly share it?

My blog is my baby. I officially brought it to life last July but created my Instagram handle a year before that. I felt confident and ready to take on the madness of running a blog. I give major props to any person who has ever attempted to run a blog. It’s not as easy or perfect as many people like to think. As a follower, you probably see a cute picture of kicks or kinis but behind the picture I see my notebook with ideas of where to shoot, a saved album on my phone with inspiration pictures, and 5 other similar pictures with subtle differences that didn’t make it to Instagram. I felt this pressure to have the perfect Insta pic to attract new followers and keep my existing ones interested. How lame is that? I started my blog as a fun project to share my passion for kicks and kinis with my creative personal touch but got so caught up on trying to expand my audience. I reevaluated what my goals and intentions are for kicksandkinis. I want to be as genuine as possible with you all and share more of myself other than my fashion preferences for shoes and swimwear.
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However, sharing more of myself shouldn’t mean giving up certain parts of me/my life to do so. I’m now adopting a new approach of being more in the moment. I don’t want to wake up in the morning and the first thing I do is to scroll through my social media feeds. When my eyes open I want to feel blessed to have another day to see all the beauty the world has to offer. I think it’s so important for us to unplug and disconnect ourselves from technology for at least a few hours out of the day. All day at work I’m on my laptop, I come home and continue to work on my laptop for the blog. It’s no surprise that I started to feel anxious and unhappy. I gave social media too much control over my life. I was constantly stressed out analyzing the stats for my posts.

I was definitely in a major funk. My close friends and family probably didn’t notice it because I always seemed to be in high spirits but on the inside I felt discouraged. I was comparing myself and my blog to others. This brought out a lot of doubt and even more stress. I knew something had to change in order for me to get back my positive attitude. I started to work out again last week (I’ve been fighting a cold on and off for the past couple months) and did my exercises outdoors. I was breathing fresh air and felt the sun shining down on me. It wasn’t until this week that I became conscious of my surroundings and appreciative. I’m now feeling better by limiting my time spent checking on my social media. Instead of idly scrolling on my feed and brainstorming ideas for shoots I’m living in the moment. Imagine that. A world where people did things they actually enjoyed and were so caught up in the moment they didn’t have time (or care) to capture it to show off to others.

I’m not saying that I will no longer take pictures to share on the blog but I will be cutting down. I’ll continue posting and interacting with you merbabes as much as I can. I’m no longer giving social media the control to determine my mental health. I’m looking forward to this weekend in the Keys. I can’t wait to unplug and disconnect for a little while.

1. Change your morning routine: Breaking a habit (routine) can be hard but with a conscious effort you can do it. I used to wake up to the alarm on my iPhone and with foggy eyes start scrolling on Instagram. Now when my alarm goes off, I turn it off and get out of bed to stretch. I put on my slippers and go to the bathroom to brush my teeth. Then I make myself some breakfast and get ready for work. Before, when I would check Instagram in the morning I would lose track of time and find myself running late to work.
2. Meditate: This is key to unplugging yourself from technology and social media. Taking the time from your day to reflect on your progress helps create a positive mind. Meditation gives your brain a well deserved break and restores balance to your life. 
3. Turn off your notifications: I always had my notifications on and would immediately grab my phone as I saw it light up. A step in the right direction to cut down your time on social media apps is to either delete them entirely or turn off notifications. So far this has worked out really well for me! I don’t feel tempted to instantly reply back or see what is happening on my feed. 
4. Read a book: When was the last time you picked up an actual book? I’m not talking about an ebook where you can read it off your phone or iPad, I’m talking about a hard copy. Reading a book is an easy way for you to escape reality without resorting to a Netflix marathon. Not only does it open your mind to new topics but it can also increase your vocabulary. Not to mention books are a great conversation starter!
5. Find a hobby (or activity): Is there something you used to do that you felt deeply passionate about? A hobby that reduces stress and anxiety will change your mental health for the better. I consider working out to be my hobby. It helps me relax and release all the negative energy I have bottled up. If I’m having a bad day I’ll put on my sneakers and play loud music to blow off some steam.
6. Get rid of FOMO: I believe a lot of us are glued to our phones because we are a part of a generation whose motto is pics or it didn’t happen. We have this strong need to show off every little thing we do and if we’re not out with friends we feel like we’re missing out. When in reality that party or beach day could’ve been sucky and you’re beating yourself up about it. Enjoy what you’re doing while you’re doing it and don’t sweat the small stuff.
7. Go outside: It’s crazy what a little fresh air and sunshine can do to your mood. I am very grateful that Miami (despite its extreme heat at times) has beautiful weather. I can spend an entire afternoon laying on my back watching the clouds roll by. I highly recommend you spend a minimum of 30 mins a day outdoors.
8. No phone zone: I’m guilty of sleeping next to my phone at night. In order to free yourself from the digital world I suggest you create no phone zones. If you keep your phone away from your bedside you’ll stop spending time on your phone in the morning and before you go to bed. This will give you more time to meditate and create a healthy routine for yourself.