I didn’t go anywhere.
No tent, no long drive, no wilderness permit.
But for 48 hours, I turned my tiny apartment into a kind of personal forest.
No screens.
No Wi-Fi.
No schedules.
Just quiet. And the unfamiliar terror of my own thoughts.
This wasn’t a vacation. It was a ritual of refusal.
A way to reclaim time, sanity, and self—without needing to flee the city or “earn” rest.
🔕 The Rules (Harder Than They Look)
For 48 hours:
- Phone off, laptop shut, smart devices unplugged
- No streaming, scrolling, or multitasking
- Lights dimmed after sundown (candles or headlamp only)
- Eating only what I had—no takeout, no snacks bought mid-crisis
- No interaction with the outside world, unless you’re bleeding
The goal wasn’t ascetic misery.
The goal was: what happens when I stop outsourcing my attention?
🛠 What I Did Instead of Doomscrolling
- Sat by the window and listened to traffic like it was weather
- Ate every meal by candlelight, in total silence
- Journaled obsessively about my brain’s protest
- Took three naps, zero guilt
- Sewed a button I’d ignored for months
- Walked barefoot on the rug and pretended it was moss
- Cried once. (Unexpected. Not unpleasant.)
By Saturday night, my nervous system felt like it exhaled for the first time in years.
🧠 Why This Works (Even If It Feels Stupid)
The modern world is:
- Overstimulated
- Overconnected
- Undernourished
And we’ve been conditioned to fear:
- Stillness
- Boredom
- The feeling of not “keeping up”
But just beneath all that noise is you.
Clearer. Softer. Slower.
And that’s the part of you that will be useful when systems break, or when you simply need to choose a different way.
🧪 Try This: 24-Hour Personal Wilderness
Start small:
- Choose a 24-hour window (Sat noon to Sun noon works well)
- Shut everything down
- Keep a notebook close
- Observe:
- What do I miss?
- What do I actually want?
- What parts of me wake up without noise?
✅ Bonus: End the practice by making or repairing something with your hands.
📥 Subscribe to download: Digital Detox Field Guide
Includes:
- “Urban Wilderness” checklist
- Candlelight meal planner (seriously)
- Journal prompts for emotional withdrawal
- Printable analog schedule template
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