2016 Letter to my Future Self

I was not always a cell phone activist, I too, was addicted to my phone. Towards the end of summer 2016, my phone suffered water damage and was permanently destroyed. I went two weeks without my phone and it seemed like a lifetime. But I learned a valuable lesson from that experience and wrote a letter to my future self.

Dear future self,

"Written: September 2016. Please read next time you get too into the social world and becoming too involved in social media.

Recently my phone somehow got into the ocean, the reasoning behind this is still unknown. But anyway I did not have a phone for almost 2 weeks. While over this time I realized how different it is without having a phone. I also began noticing how often people are on their phones obsessed with the idea of snapchat and Instagram, acting like they cannot live without.

When in reality what is the point of it. I believe we get so sucked into the world of social media and sometimes cannot get out of it. I recently have been obsessed with my phone almost as if I could not live without. I feel like somehow or way God put my phone into the ocean on purpose to learn an important message. That life does not revolve around a phone. We are missing so much of the beautiful world that God has created for us, due to us having our face in front of our phones. They suck the life out of us and cause us to miss out on so much! Without having a phone, I thought I was going to go insane, therefore I wasn’t totally disconnected, I had an iPad that I was able to text on and also was on Instagram and snapchat constantly. Today I am finally getting my new iphone, today I also lost almost all of my streaks, which at first I was very very disappointed because I lost a 230-day streak with Gabby Pinson. I was upset that I lost almost all of my streaks, because people make it seem like it is such a big or deal and that it is a competition. I now know it how dump I was being about it. Snapchat is fine and all but there is no point to it. Sending pictures back and forth to friends, there is no point, however I understand that it is also used to communicate. I know I will continue using snapchat as I get older, however know seeing how much better everything was without my phone, I hope that I will become better about not relying on Instagram and snapchat to be my “social life”. I should easily be able to give up my Instagram and snapchat however as of now I am not at that point yet. My life still revolves around the amount of followers I get or the amount of likes I get. I hope that for the future you will not be as REVOLVED around your phone as I am. It is not important, it does not state who you are as a person. Please listen to my advice and do not become addicted or feel that it is necessary to do all of the social media. It does not mean you are cool or a loser. It is important to know that your life does not revolve around your phone, remember that.

Sincerely, 2016 Carter."

So what exactly sparked my interest in cell phone usage? The first time I took a break (because I was forced to) from my iphone, opened up a new door for me and sparked an interest in communicating the message to others too.