Don't let your phone control you.
Live Off the Grid a Little
By living off the grid I merely suggest that you try to disconnect from your phone and the internet occasionally. While traveling along the California Big Sur Coast last summer, I had barely any cell service. This allowed me to disconnect and allow myself to be mesmerized by the winding roads, the rocky cliffs and waves crashing upon the shores below. I still took plenty of pictures and videos along the coast, but the beauty that is Big Sur is difficult to capture in a picture. [More on my California adventures soon.] It really is refreshing to disconnect and immerse yourself in the world around you. At night, gaze up at the stars instead of the bright light of your phone. While you are walking, listen to the babbling creek and birds chirping rather than the music in your headphones.
Humans are social beings and technology will always just be an imitation of being social. Sure, it connects us, but nothing can compare to being physically present. Don’t waste those precious moments by staring at your phone. These breaks from the online world will help you become more present in your physical life and may even solidify your own relationships. You may even find out more about yourself by living off the grid once in a while.
"You must live in the present, launch yourself on every wave, find your eternity in each moment. Fools stand on their island of opportunities and look toward another land. There is no other land; there is no other life but this." ― Henry David Thoreau
Your Phone and Travel
While traveling, phones can be a necessity, especially when they help us from getting lost. GPS apps like Waze, Google Maps, Apple Maps, AllTrails, etc., are tools that assist people from getting from point A to point B safely. Phones can also help with comfort and book a last minute motel when you can’t take sleeping in a tent for one more night. The convenience of the cellphone is great and useful but remember to put your phone down and experience the trip in real-time. I’m not saying don’t take photos and make Instagram stories, but remember to make memories to have forever in your mind. We have become so accustomed to having cell service that when we are traveling we tend to forget how to live without those devices. You end up searching out WIFI hotspots and stay in the hotel more than you normally would. Overall, we as a society need to learn to become less dependent on our cellphones and social media.
Remember to Put Your Phone Down!
Whether you are eating dinner, going for a walk, or having a conversation with someone, being present is more important than checking your email or your social media. Those goofy cellphone ads before movies at the theatre have it right! Phones are not only distracting to you, they are also distracting to others. Imagine all of the moments you may have missed by having your attention on your phone. Missing the game winning score, the punchline of a joke, or the stunning views alongside a coastal highway, these also known as the moments that make memories.
So, What Can be the Solution?
This is a tricky question. How can we as a society become less dependent on the technology that we love so much. I suppose the first step is to understand that we need to learn not to take it for granted. These cellphones of ours only work when they have service or WIFI. Imagine if that were all gone. Next step would be to schedule times for you to disconnect from the online world. Spend time reading or taking your pet for a walk without looking at your phone. The third step might be to challenge yourself to spend a couple days without checking your social media. The Final step could be encouraging others to do the same.
Focus on You
At the start of the Covid-19 stay at home order, I began reading books, puzzling, and writing. I would spend a good two to three hours doing these things while also attempting not to look at my phone. I wanted to focus on what I was doing, and I was truly able to focus more than I ever could while reading and writing. My brain doesn’t go off into la la land as much as it would in the past. It feels so great to immerse myself in what I am doing and not be distracted. I think if more people, especially in America, spent less time online and more time being present in their lives, people would be much happier. During this time of social distancing, I have been able to focus on myself. I am able to focus on my health, my friendships, my relationship, and my goals in life. Before this whole thing I barely felt like I had the time to even go for a walk. How sad is it that society has made it the norm to become so work-focused that we forget to focus on ourselves.
“If you feel lost, disappointed, hesitant, or weak, return to yourself, to who you are, here and now and when you get there, you will discover yourself, like a lotus flower in full bloom, even in a muddy pond, beautiful and strong.“ — Masaru Emoto
Disconnect from the online world and spend time focusing on yourself.
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