DELETED EPISODE - How to Put Down the Phone and Pick Up a Life

We are grieved to announce that we've pulled this week's episode at the request of our guest, Eric Bourgault. We apologize to your, our community of listeners. 

We believe we had crafted an interesting, powerful interview with a fascinating message. Unfortunately, Eric felt that his own words did not represent his ideas the way he wanted them to. Out of respect for his wishes, we have deleted the episode from our feed. We're sad because we believe this deprives you all of something uplifting and intriguing. 
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We're leaving these show notes and episode description intact so you can learn more about Eric and digital wellness, even without the audio episode. 

Guest Bio:
Eric Bourgault is an accidental social entrepreneur, offline entertainer, poet and trailblazer. He is also one of the grassroot pioneers of the Digital Detox Movement and initiator of the first National Day of Unplugging in Canada and India.

During his early career, he made many transitions between the Canadian Force, the circus and the entertainment world, and emerged as a as a public speaker. In 2008 he was forced to leave everything behind to find a solution to a tech breakdown which was consuming is life. This healing journey, mostly on a bicycle,  gave him the opportunity to connect with hundreds of communities around the world and find the inspiration he needed to create DigiPause.

Today, he is using his Laughter Yoga Teaching and his coaching skills as a landmark for his work as a Wellness Experience Designer.  He is currently in Portugal preparing new DigiPause programs while finishing his first book and a new website.

We know that constant doom-scrolling, Insta-comparing, and Facebook raging are not good for us. We KNOW we need to re-engage with nature and with organic human communities. But HOW do we re-remember how to put down the phone and pick up the messier, subtler, and less immediately rewarding well-being of offline life? 

Eric believes that by using the activities and coaching through DigiPause offers, the possibility of a Life-tech balance is accessible to anyone. Stay tuned for some concrete actions you can take today for more balanced well-being and tap into a reservoir of joy, happiness and purpose.​

SHOW NOTES: 
Key Takeaways:  

• Science shows that social media makes us less happy.
• With awareness, we gain choice. 

Do a Science:
Set up a digital free zone where you go without your phones or any screens. Stock your DFZ with journals, printed books (remember those?), stationary, musical instruments, puzzles, dumb bells, etc.  
Spend just few minutes each day in the DFZ alone or with family members. 

“The reason we struggle with insecurity is because we compare our behind-the-scenes with everyone else’s highlight reel.”
Steven Furtick

Episode References:

• Connect with Eric Bourgault
  • LinkedIN
  • Facebook
  • Cycling Blog (in French) 

​For a Deeper Dive: 

• The ManKind Project
• Media Theorist Marshall McCluan
• Social Media and Mental Health for Teens
• The Social Dilemma trailer 
• 8 Ways to Beat Your Facebook Addiction 
• The Benefits of a Social Media Detox