In a world where the scroll never stops, I have found myself pausing. Reassessing. Choosing a slower way of sharing.
This year I have read The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry as well as Erin Loechner’s book The Opt-Out Family. These reads confirmed what I’ve been feeling for a while—that the digital world is designed to pull us in, to keep us engaged longer than we ever intended. And if I’m being honest, I don’t want to fill my in-between moments looking at someone else’s life. I don’t want to scroll my phone as I nurse my child. I don’t want my children to see me constantly looking down at a screen. I want them to know that when they look at me for eye contact…they will meet my eyes and will not have to compete with a screen. I don’t want them to grow up believing that their smartphones need to be at the center of their world.
Some statistics I read in The Opt Out Family were sobering to me: 97% of teens say they are online daily, and 46% admit they are online almost constantly. Meanwhile, 56% of parents say they spend too much time on their phones, and 68% say they feel distracted by them when spending time with their children.
If I want something different for my children, I have to model it first.
So I’m making a shift. Instead of chasing the endless cycle of Instagram updates and keeping up with Tik Tok trends, I’m leaning into something slower, something more intentional. I’m choosing deep conversations over fleeting likes, long-form storytelling over quick captions. That’s why I’ll be sharing more through my weekly newsletter and slow, meaningful blog posts rather than the constant churn of social feeds. This feels more intentional to me. This feels slower and more authentic – this is more of what I want.
This transition feels both strange and exhilarating. It’s freeing. It’s a return to being present in my own life rather than constantly curating it for an audience. It’s a reminder that my family, our moments, and our connections should be more engaging than anything an algorithm can deliver.
I don’t have it all figured out yet—I’m just beginning this journey. But I do know this: when I look up from my screen, the view is so much better.
Photos By: Cheyenne Morris Photography
Venue: Wishwell House (Georgetown, TX)
