It\u2019s strange how silence can teach you more than words ever could. In the past 10.5 months, I\u2019ve ventured on five Himalayan treks\u2014each about four days long\u2014and for 90% of those journeys, my phone stayed switched off. The mountains, rugged and vast, have a way of forcing you into the present moment. But once back in the city, the grip of my phone tightens, pulling me into its endless scroll.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This contrast between my trekking life and urban reality has made me reflect deeply on our relationship with technology. It\u2019s not just about how much time we spend on screens but what that time does to us\u2014and what we lose in the process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Let\u2019s face it, most of us use our phones to avoid discomfort. Feeling bored? Scroll. Feeling sad? Watch a video. Feeling anxious? Dive into a game. Our devices are like anesthetics\u2014they numb negative emotions temporarily. But here\u2019s the catch: when we avoid feelings like sadness, fear, or shame, we also avoid learning from them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I\u2019ve come to realize that these \u201cbad\u201d emotions aren\u2019t the enemy. They\u2019re our body\u2019s way of teaching us something important. For example, fear pushes us to avoid danger. Shame, as uncomfortable as it is, motivates us to correct our actions. But when we suppress these feelings by scrolling or swiping, we lose the chance to grow. It\u2019s like taking painkillers without treating the underlying injury.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In the mountains, there\u2019s no escaping discomfort. If I feel tired during a climb, I can\u2019t pause the trek like a video game. I have to confront the challenge head-on. This rawness, though difficult, is transformative. It teaches patience, resilience, and most importantly, how to sit with discomfort without numbing it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Back in the city, I notice how technology is designed to keep us hooked. Features like Face ID or infinite scrolling minimize the gap between impulse and action. We don\u2019t even realize when we\u2019re reaching for our phones during transitions\u2014waiting in line, riding an elevator, or even between work tasks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
During one of my post-trek reflections, I observed how often I pulled out my phone without any real reason. It wasn\u2019t about staying informed or connected; it was a compulsion. And every time I scrolled, I felt a pang of guilt. Why couldn\u2019t I control this urge?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But then I dug deeper. The guilt wasn\u2019t about the phone\u2014it was rooted in a deeper sense of shame. Shame about wasted time, shame about dependency, and shame about being \u201cfragile\u201d enough to need an escape.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The mountains have a way of stripping you down to your core. With no distractions, you\u2019re left to confront your thoughts and emotions. And this has taught me an essential truth: the only way to deal with shame is to face it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Whether it\u2019s trekking or simply sitting quietly, I\u2019ve found that processing emotions involves three steps:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Technology isn\u2019t inherently bad\u2014it\u2019s how we use it. It can amplify our goals or amplify our problems. When I\u2019m writing or researching, my laptop is a tool for creativity. But when I\u2019m aimlessly scrolling, it becomes a crutch.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The key is intentionality. On my treks, I disconnect from the digital world to reconnect with myself. And I\u2019ve started bringing that practice into my city life too. For instance, I now limit screen time during meals and replace scrolling with journaling before bed. Small changes, but they add up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Trekking has taught me that life isn\u2019t about avoiding discomfort\u2014it\u2019s about facing it with courage. Whether it\u2019s the sting of cold winds on a mountain pass or the ache of shame in your heart, every challenge carries the seed of growth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Now, when I feel the pull of my phone, I ask myself: \u201cWhat am I trying to avoid?\u201d And more often than not, I put it down and turn inward instead.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If there\u2019s one thing the mountains have taught me, it\u2019s this: the path to growth lies in embracing discomfort, not escaping it. And sometimes, the first step is as simple as switching off your phone.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
It\u2019s strange how silence can teach you more than words ever could. In the past 10.5 months, I\u2019ve ventured on five Himalayan treks\u2014each about four days long\u2014and for 90% of those journeys, my phone stayed switched off. The mountains, rugged and vast, have a way of forcing you into the present moment. But once back […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","pgc_sgb_lightbox_settings":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[52],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-2090","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-learnings","7":"entry"},"featured_image_src":null,"featured_image_src_square":null,"author_info":{"display_name":"vasudha","author_link":"https:\/\/ideaweb.me\/blog\/author\/vasudha\/"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ideaweb.me\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2090"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ideaweb.me\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ideaweb.me\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ideaweb.me\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ideaweb.me\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2090"}],"version-history":[{"count":13,"href":"https:\/\/ideaweb.me\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2090\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2110,"href":"https:\/\/ideaweb.me\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2090\/revisions\/2110"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ideaweb.me\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2090"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ideaweb.me\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2090"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ideaweb.me\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2090"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}