How I Made My Phone Zen

 

How I Made My Phone Zen

Did you know that the ancient Chinese black & white swirl symbol, otherwise known as 'Ying Yang' is a symbol of balance? Yes, while Ying & Yang are opposites, the two opposite forces actually come together to create balance & harmony. 

Using Widgets on my phone has boosted my creativity 

When it comes to being on the grid aka connected to technology, the internet, & social media, I felt like I needed Ying & Yang. For too long, I let Instagram value my self-worth & run a good bit of my life. For what? Likes? Comments? Saves. Honestly, as I get older, who really cares? 

I grew tired of social media notifications coming across my lock screen. I grew tired of the little red icon dots {on Apple} showing the number of notifications. I grew tired of it all. So, recently, when I purchased my new iPhone 12 Pro Max {upgrading from an iPhone 8Plus} I changed it all. 

In return for making these Zen changes to my phone, which I will share below, I made my phone a place I actually want to look at. A place to grow creativity, not harbor anxiety. 

Finding Balance & Clarity with Social Media 

Six Ways I Made My iPhone 12 Pro Max Zen

• No Notifications: You know those little red icon dots in the top corner of your apps letting you know how many unread messages you have? Annoying {& ugly} am I, right? Well, I got rid of those & I don't miss them. Here's how you can do that too. 
• No Social Media Notifications on Lock Screen: All my phones in the past, every time I got an Instagram Like, Comment, Shared message, it came across my lock screen.  Until I got rid of that, I didn't realize how much of a toll it was taking on my mental health. 
• Helpful Widgets: Installing a few widgets such as ones that display my favorite travel photos in my camera roll, Pinterest widgets that show rotating images from my favorite boards, & one widget that shares when Golden Hour has all boosted my mood & creativity when looking at my phone. I use the apps, Color Widget & Widget Smith for the creative widgets.
• Phone Wallpaper: Having Wallpaper that inspires me such as a stunning photo of nature or a photo I have taken as my wallpaper brings me clarity when I look down at my screen. 
• App Organization: When I got my 12 Pro Max, I organized all the apps in a way that made the most sense to me. Visually, my eyes {&mind} is at peace when I unlock my screen, I like having all of my apps organized in a proper way that is not only functional but fuels my creativity too. 
• Text Tone: On my iPhone 8Plus, I had the load popcorn text tone. Now, I changed it to what I think is called ''Bambo.' It's just a lighter & airy sound. It feels more peaceful to me at least. 

I have to say, these subtle six changes have made a big impact on my mood & how I feel when I pick up my phone. Just remember, you're worth more than any amount of likes. There's more to life than what's on your screen. Ying & Yang. 

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