Why I Need To Pick Up My Phone More

This weekend I did something I haven't actually done in a long time, I used my mobile to actually phone and speak to people other than my mum!

I know that may sound weird, but I rarely use my phone to actually make phone calls anymore, and in fact my friends would tell you that they rarely bother ringing me anymore as I'm awful at answering. That all changed this weekend though when I actually picked up the phone and phoned several of my close friends and do you know what, it was actually such a positive experience it got me questioning why I had stopped in the first place.

Each phone call was just what the doctor ordered too, making the effort to actually catch up with people on what's going on in their lives outside of when we meet up and delving deeper into conversations than you may do if other people were there. It was just such a nice and liberating experience and one that I intend on sticking too. 

I don't know why or when exactly I got out of the habit of actually speaking to people on the phone, I think maybe at uni, but that was ten years ago now, so that tells you that it's been a slippery slope, and I would always opt for a text conversation over a verbal one, but really and truly it is not the same. You can't convey emotion, or get caught up in what you're saying int he same way. In a text message thoughts and conversations are considered and it's actually much more of an effort to type the words than it is to say them. That being said, one of the main reasons I do prefer to text is because life can get so busy that you don't have time for hour long conversations, choosing to check in with people quickly rather than have a deep and meaningful. The two definitely don't compare though and I actually feel so much closer and more connected to those people just because I picked up the phone. It's silly really, but it's made me vow to do it more often. 

I do a fair bit of walking at the moment, in and around London and I'm a fan of podcasts and audio books to help pass the time if I'm not listening to something on Spotify, but from now on I am going to make an effort to use some of that time to make phone calls too. It is different when you're out and about compared to when you're sat at home on a Saturday morning granted, but the personal connection is totally worth it. Weird how easy it is to get into the habit of not actually communicating with people verbally and it does beg the question of what society will become if this trend continues? Because ultimately we're not, not speaking, we're now actually so privy to each others lives thanks to the multitude of social media, texting and emailing that it's not that we're not in contact, its just that the connection doesn't seem as strong. 

I'm always a bit of a sceptic about social media too, there are some channels that are much more authentic than others but its all just a bit contrived and conceited to let everyone that you allow, depending on whether your account is private or public, see a perfectly filtered aspect of your life. It actually makes it a bit rubbish when you are having a bad time, or when you do feel like reaching out to someone to know what they have actually been up to. Instagram may have said they were at the park yesterday, but ask them and that was from two weeks ago, they just banked it to make themselves look busy. So, in a world where there are so many ways to connect with each other, and to showcase our edited lives to the world, I'm going back to basics, picking up the phone and nattering away and getting more face time in with those that mean the most to me. It's time to reconnect with the real world and stop communicating through the digital one.