Live the Moment!

I wanted to follow up on my last post regarding the endless and constant connection to facebook, email, text etc.
Over the last several weeks I have been paying close attention to how often I forgo a few moments of silence, of peace…

...by reaching habitually for my phone.  I knew I was addicted, but I didn’t realize exactly how bad it was until I made the decision to honestly monitor myself.  A moment when there is a lull in the conversation, I reach for my phone.  I’m waiting in line, I reach for my phone.  I’m sitting outside relaxing, I reach for my phone.  I crawl into bed, I reach for my phone.  I get out of bed, I reach for my phone.  I’m walking, I reach for my phone.  Red light, I reach for my phone.  You get the idea, right?

Your first thought may be “so, you weren’t doing anything else anyway”….but that is not true.

During the time that I was monitoring my addiction, I also had several days where staying connected was NOT an option.  During these days I enjoyed the peace of just sitting with my thoughts and of mindfully enjoying my surroundings.  Conversation pauses were not filled with petty facebook updates, they were filled with listening and contemplation.  During all those times when I mindlessly reach for my phone, I miss out on enjoying the here and now.

So where does this leave me?  No, I’m not giving up my phone; yes, I still have a facebook account and yes, I do have to keep connected to business emails.  However, being aware of my daily actions allows me to make conscious choices.  Now, every time I reach for my phone or even when I sit down with my computer, I’m mindfully choosing to do something…not just mindlessly filling time that I could be enjoying. 

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Are you looking to feel a little more connected, a little more grounded, a little more mindful?  Join me in my effort to treat my phone like a useful tool, not an addiction!  Are you up for it?  Only good things can happen!


-Tracy