“Shit, she’s going to call me out.” You bet your ass I am. Welcome back to the Empowered and Unapologetic podcast, ladies! I’m Veronica Cisneros, your host, your cheerleader, and occasionally, your digital detox drill sergeant. Today’s episode hit close to home for me—and probably will for you, too. It’s about digital consumption, mental health, and how our phones quietly creep in and mess with our lives.

Joining me is the brilliant Jennie Ketcham Crooks, a licensed clinical social worker, anxiety and OCD specialist, and author of Look Up: The 30-Day Path to Digital Minimalism and Real-Life Maximalism. If anyone can make us rethink our scrolling habits, it’s Jennie.

Summary

• Digital consumption can have a significant impact on mental health, especially for high-achieving women.
• Using smartphones as a way to escape uncomfortable situations or avoid emotional experiences can lead to addictive behaviors.
• Social media is a comparison machine that can exacerbate feelings of self-doubt and inadequacy.
• Practicing self-awareness and intentional digital consumption can help reduce anxiety and improve overall well-being. Practice narrating your actions when using your phone to increase mindfulness and reduce automatic behavior.
• Take three minutes of mindfulness before engaging with technology to create a mindful pause and be intentional with phone usage.
• Create a personalized plan for digital minimalism by determining what tasks are actually required and choosing when to engage with technology.
• Embrace anxiety as a natural response and practice radical acceptance, offering kindness and curiosity towards the experience.
• Increase self-kindness by practicing 10% more kindness towards oneself, which can lead to reduced phone usage and a healthier mindset.

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