When I tell people I’m taking a year-long social media sabbatical, I tend to get responses that sound a lot like – WOW or That’s Intense or You Are So Brave! or That’s Amazing! – all of which seem to be significant reasons to give up social media, don’t ya think? Stepping away from the stream should not be arduous and is certainly not an act of courage.

So what am I going to do with all the “extra time” I’m going to get back? I’ve started a wishlist of things I’d like to do over the next year, some of which I’d have done anyway, but now I hope to relearn how to do while being fully present.

Here’s a random list of 25 things I hope to do in the coming year

Start and keep a junk journal made just for this occasion

Use DuoLingo to practice my Dutch when the urge to go go gadget gets me

Learn the names of plants, trees and birds that I see on my daily routes

Complete at least 10 things on Keri Smith’s list

Use my Dutch license to drive to places I’ve not yet seen in The Netherlands…and beyond

​Make things with clay, paper and thread for folks I love

Craft prayers and not post them on Facebook

When I don’t know something, check out a book, consult a dictionary or ask a person, not Google

Visit the Hortus Botanicus of Leiden a few times each season

Learn everything I can about the divine feminine as understood in different traditions

Paint a “rug” with concrete stain on my patio

Cycle Holland’s lovely landscape and leave my smartphone at home

Improve my handwriting with slow, silent practice sessions

Take, edit and print photos instead of sharing on Instagram

Make and hang dozens of Take What You Need posters

Notice and appreciate the changes in my body without joining a women over 50 Facebook group

Use my museum membership without taking any selfies with the art​

Write letters, on paper, with a pen – buy stamps and mail to people I love​ ​​

Try yoga again without complaining on Twitter about how hard it is

Check out local bands in groovy Eurobars without taking a single video to post ​

Spend a whole day exploring kringloops by boat with friends

Sit quietly doing nothing

Look at everything​​

Think my own thoughts

Write