Anyone who's alive and reading this right now has, at some point in their life, had a strong desire to cut all contacts and go off the grid. I don't even need to ask because if I ever talk about a sudden urge to pack my bags, take my car, and disappear off the map for a little while, it's all met with a collective "same." Failed a class? Bad breakup? Identity crisis? Ever since we were children, the urge to run away sometimes remains the same.
Lately, though, I've realized that there's something more to this desire. I'm experiencing it in my adult life in an entirely new way, one that's both attainable and maybe a little healthy.
The Niche of Normalcy
In our daily lives, between our social circles, activities, and mundane errands, we all are trying to stay relevant in one way or another. As human beings, we're all terrified to be rejected, or worse, completely forgotten in one way or another.
Our obsession with social media has only enabled this fear, with every well-intentioned post having a small undertone of, "I'm still here guys! Don't forget that I'm still here!" (I am just of guilty of that as anybody else, trust me).
In our niches though, we almost become too comfortable. Within this quest to find people we can be our most authentic selves with, the neverending list of tasks in our planners, and the jobs that help us feel fulfilled, it's easy to trap ourselves in a loop of keeping the normalcy without ever meaning to do so.
This puts us in danger of just "going through the motions." Or worse, continually fighting up that ladder of relevancy. Most of the people we want to stay relevant for aren't even friends or people we invest ourselves in. They're just people we wish to see ourselves in; therefore their approval becomes part of our daily routines.
Escaping the Cycle
Lately, this has become such a theme in my life, which I decided it was time to keep myself in check. There's a difference between ghosting people and taking a break from the world to sit alone with yourself — and it's all about your intentions.
I've been going off the grid in my own way lately. I've said "no" to moments I'd otherwise feel a strong need to be present in. I've spent days doing things alone that would otherwise make me feel insecure or awkward--going to the movies, going out to dinner, shopping, concerts--and most importantly, I've cut down on the people I've felt a need to stay relevant for.
It's uncomfortable first, but it teaches me the most significant lesson about life' fluidity and the fact that everyone and everything in your life is a huge bonus. You are the only necessary and constant thing about your own life. It sounds scary at first, but eventually, it'll teach you the importance of gratitude, presence, and genuinely enjoying what remains in your life, rather than feeding a need to chase it 24/7.
This week, I encourage you to go off the grid. Instead of a bus ticket or a dramatic goodbye from the things that bother you, let it be a breather from the things that we all spend most of your time pouring our energy into. After all, there's nothing wrong with running away once in a while.
