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I can talk about personal finance and my successes and failures for days. Yet, for Habesha Finance to be impactful I believe there has to be some personal, brotherly wisdom that must be shared. I turned 32 this year (2018) and I guess I’ve always been somewhat in tune with the latest social trends and fashion. From AOL Instant Messenger and Myspace to Facebook and Snapchat there always seems to be a new craze of social networking platforms to get lost in. Today I say “enough!” There’s so much of who we are as humans we are losing to computers and the digital world. I believe that as a society we have to take a break from social media and I’ll tell you why.

Is Anyone Playing Outside?

Being a new dad is a great way to be a kid again. Eat what they eat at birthdays and if you’re lucky you can jump in the bouncy house right? Just kidding about the bouncy house. Riding bikes, throwing the football and playing home run derby were all some of the many outdoor activities I used to do with my friends. Granted, I wasn’t the best athlete and yet I always seemed to have fun.

I’m not sure I see this happening as often as I used to, and so I ask what happened to all the kids playing outside? Now, I’ll see 10 kids circled around with their cellphones playing online games or messaging someone who’s literally across the room. Gone are the days where kids beg and please, “I want to play outside” and now ask  right away “What’s the wifi and password?”

As a parent, I’m responsible for my daughter to learn, grow and have as much fun as a kids as she can. One part of this is playing outside. There is something special about being outside and having fun with nature. There is so much organic beauty in this world and it would be a shame if people never explored it.

Be Physically Present

Sometimes I fail at this. Actually, many times and more recently I try to make the effort to be physically present. Taking a break from social media can help and can actually be liberating! I enjoy not being consumed by other folks updating where they are every hour, even if it’s family. We are all spending way too much time on social media and not spending time actually being social. Kind of a paradox right? I don’t know what the long term impacts of social media is, but I can tell you that you miss out on the fun, energetic activities and fellowship of physically being present.

My advice is to commit to meeting up with friends and family members as often as you can. Even if this happens once a month or once a year. I’m pretty sure once a year is one more than you already are doing.

Do Acts of Service

I understand how easy it is to get consumed with our own lives and forget that there are people out there who can use help. I’m convinced if we do one act of service every month then our communities will prosper and more people will overcome struggles they face every day. This only happens when we get off the couch away from the computers and television screens and go volunteer our time to help others less fortunate than us.

Learn a New Skill

By spending your time on social media watching others live their lives you slowly stop living yours. Now I’m all for being connected to friends and idols around the world, but let’s be honest. Checking your phone every 5 minutes to see their status updates is not good for you. You need to break away from social media for hours during the day and develop yourself. Learn a new skill, language or even recipe. The point is for you to be a better version of yourself each day.

Take a Break From Social Media

My final recommendation is to get away from social media. Spending a year away from Facebook was mentally cleansing. I enjoyed being disconnected to the digital world and being connected to that actual real world. Try to take a week break or month break and build from there. Let your friends and family know what you plan so they don’t get worried!

Maybe I’m an old soul, but I’m a firm believer that to live your best life you have to limit the time you spend on social media. Idling on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat or whatever else is a waste of your valuable time. You deserve better and this world deserves the best you. Try to take breaks where and when you can. I hope you can take this message and remember to enjoy the wonders of this world, be physically present, serve others and learn something new when you can.