Me Without a Smart Phone? ..

I wonder if I would be this very Asia I am today had I lived in a different century or era. 

An era that had no technology and smartphones. An era where one isn't constantly bombarded with TOO much information, too much hate, too much resentment, too much criticism, too many options, too many opinions coming from too many virtual people you don't even know....everything is just TOO MUCH.

One can't breathe. One can't seem to have a moment to themselves.

The other day my battery died on my way home and I was riding the bus. I had 30 whole minutes to myself. I wanted to read but I wasn't carrying a book. I was left to be... with myself alone.

Be alone with myself?

Yes! And I realized that I hadn't been alone with myself for so long. In fact, I don't remember the last time I spend conscious time with myself.

It was a strange feeling; it was awkward.

Do not get me wrong, I do usually have a couple of minutes to myself before falling asleep, but I'm usually thinking of my plans for the following day, reflecting on something that happened that day, or reading my sleeping supplication. 

Did you read what I said there? a couple of MINUTES, not HALF AN HOUR, or more.

But this was strangely unexpected.

For a moment everything in my head was silent and it was like I was on the top of a mountain just by myself. No one to talk to, no company, no distractions. Nothing. Just me facing me.

It was a reunion kind of feeling, like meeting a close friend I haven't spoken to for a while. I needed a moment to reconnect again, to retrace my steps, and build on what we used to have.

When I met that friend, I couldnt be too pushy, I couldn't be invasive and ask too many questions, I couldn’t be extremely anxious of the silence..I had to let it be. 

I had to be calm and welcome any thoughts, ANY thoughts. Because for a while I was searching for a conversation to have with myself..

‘Let it be Asia. Just let it be...’

Anyway, that day got me thinking that we don't spend enough time with ourselves.

And some of us from this generation might depart this world not meeting, or knowing themselves. How sad is that?

We don't think enough of the affect that this revolution of technology have on us. How it made us all disconnected, not just from other, but ourselves too. How we think we are learning and are exposed to a lot of information, yet we can never have the patience to be on one thing for more than ten minutes.

The trade off is simple; our time and attention. But in exchange of what? what do we gain in this process though?

Being superficially connected to too many people?

having more pressure to compete with what others 'post' on social media posing as if they're leading perfect lives?

being anxious all the time not knowing why?

having the pressure to 'do' something for the sake of 'showing' the public you're leading an interesting life?

not being present in any moment and always checking your phone?

constantly worrying about how others are doing 'something' with their lives and you are not?

feeling like you’re stuck in the same place for years because now Facebook sends you reminders of your old posts?

I mean, I know it's only going to get worse than this. This technology and constant exposure isn't going anywhere. So it's time that we learn how to handle it wisely, in a way that doesn't harm us.

The other day, me and my sister were standing in a queue at TimHortons. An older man behind us in the queue saw us checking something online and wondered if we were ordering our drinks from the App. We weren't, but the man's questions was valid because we are a lazy generation who orders everything online even when we are inches away from the counter. We spoke briefly and he showed us his old flip phone. We laughed and I legit wondered how he survived in the world, without using the GPS, without using any apps, without using social media, without checking the weather, without using the internet to search...I mean, wait, what?..but I guess he's better of without it.

I bet he don't waste his time like us.
I bet he isn't addicted on the internet.
I bet he has more meaningful relationships than tagging each other on funny videos.
I bet he doesn't depend on the GPS because he uses his senses for direction.

Have you guys noticed how nowadays we need an app for everything, for direction, for eating, for sleeping, for feelings...etc.

And that's the problem, that's my issue with this technology, we lose touch with our instincts, our senses, with, basically, OURSELVES.

I am not proposing we get rid of our social media and smart phones, but I urge myself and this generation to be smart-ER in using them.

Let's spend sometime with ourselves, even if it's ten minutes or thirty minutes a day. Lets spend some un-social media interrupted time with our loved ones. Let’s try to be more present in our REAL lives. Let's try to be more grounded and learn who we are without our attachments to our phones and our virtual identities.

I read somewhere that a healthy rule of thumb when dealing with smartphones is to turn off your screen time an hour before you sleep, and to not check your social media first hour in the morning.

That is, if you want to be conscious of your thoughts and be more grounded in your life.

I don't know if I would be this Asia I am today had I lived in a different time, but what I know is this: 

I do want to live my full potential and be the highest form of myself. I want to be aware of my thoughts and not depend on any material things. I want my relationships to be more meaningful and I want to achieve self-actualization. 

To do so, I would have to learn to live without my smartphone for sometime each day. 

By: Asia Abbeys 😀

#socialmedia #meaningfulrelationships #Mindfulness #happiness#selfcare