I am highly codependent with my cat and currently away from her for a little over a week it’s torture!! But I’m away for a reason, and trying to think about the time apart as a gift for us both. Gravy worries about me a lot when I’m home (I’m a heavy sleeper and it freaks her out lol), so now she has a week of not having to worry about me overnight! plus, I have cat cams and a babysitter i trust giving me updates so I know she’s okay. absence makes the heart grow fonder
at least casually. don’t delete the accounts but don’t have the apps on your phone either. rediscover your love of reading thru the magic of recognizing titles strangers are holding on the subway. become a subway reader. don’t use sound as an escape from your thoughts/feelings/surroundings. grocery shopping without headphones is actually kind of beautiful! pick up a new hobby or two or three. one of them should be something you’re not good at, and at least one should be no- or low-cost. never. stop. learning. the library, the parks and rec department, and nearby museums offer great materials already but also usually have free lectures or courses. go outside more. like, a lot more. (took this much less literally, so apologies if it’s not what you’re looking for lol — as a narcoleptic I have no tips on how to Not Sleep since Sleep is basically my job)
