New Phone

A few weeks ago I finally bit the bullet and went to the local Verizon store to replace my 6-year-old phone with a new 5G model. I had been putting it off for over a year for several reasons: I was comfortable with my phone and didn’t want to have to learn a new one (even though it would still be a Droid); after hearing from so many friends that they lost contacts or other information I was afraid of a disastrous data transfer; phones have gotten bigger and bigger, and I don’t need a tablet in my pocket as I already have a desktop and laptop at home; and I didn’t want to have to spend a ton of money on new accessories since even if I got a phone by the same manufacturer, the connectivity ports, etc. have changed (by design of course).

Due to slipping battery life, the GPS dropping out more and more frequently (always when I needed it most) even in wide open places, and increasing costs of my minimalist plan, it was time to move on. Saying goodbye to my old phone wasn’t easy and finding one of similar size was even harder. On a chilly Wednesday, I summoned all my courage and took the drive to see what new phone met my criteria. As a Droid guy (my wife is Apple all the way), there were a lot of options but only one that was even close to the dimensions of my old phone. Luckily, it was a brand that I know from friends and one that has gotten good reviews. Phase 1 complete; phone chosen.

On to the scarier phase 2; data transfer. What used to be a free service is now $29.95 but I gladly paid to have the salesperson setup the data transfer while I monitored the process, with him checking in periodically to make sure it was going OK. It took about an hour and appeared to be seamless (more on that later). Well worth the cost for the peace of mind I thought, and it was much easier than when I got my old phone 6 years earlier. Everything seemed in order and all I had to do was re-activate some sign-ins and setup my app screens.

Fast forward 2 weeks. When I went to check one of my credit card accounts I found the contact gone. Upon further investigation several of my contacts had been tossed into the dreaded “Unknown” category. After scrolling through those and re-setting them, with that contact nowhere in sight, I had to re-create it. Luckily, I had my old phone and had not wiped it yet so, other than re-typing everything, the process was fairly quick and easy. Good to go!

So I thought. A few days later I went online to pick-up my utility bill and found that contact gone. Again, I still had my old phone so I could re-create the account. Fearing that many more such contacts – those with only a company name (no first or last name) – suffered the same fate, I began the arduous process of comparing the contacts on my old phone with the new one. Of course, the ones missing were the important ones. 3 ½ hours later I had successfully re-created all the missing contacts. Again, thankfully, I still had my old phone intact. In celebration of finally being whole (I hope I am not jinxing myself) I poured a generous portion of The Macallan 12 (thank you Mr. Peart) set my phone down and got as far away from it as I could.

Yes, my fear of losing data came true. And yes, I had to buy all new charger accessories and learn to work with a swipe bar instead of those 3 buttons on the bottom of my old phone – at least until a friend showed me the setting to get those back (thanks Pat!). But I am glad I took the plunge and overcame my fear of change to upgrade my phone.

A good metaphor for life: don’t let fear of getting out of your comfort zone keep you from trying new things. That’s the only way to learn and grow. Fear can be paralyzing if we let it, and if we give in to it, we will stagnate. Sure it’s hard to overcome, but coming out on the other side is well worth the discomfort it can take to get there. One more life lesson; when you get a new phone, keep your old one until you are sure everything you need from it has been transferred to your new one!

www.RetiredandInspiredat55.com 1-30-2023