Practical Mindfulness – Look Around You – Not At Your Phone – And Be Present

An Important Take On Something That Affects Us All

Although they are convenient and in many ways, life changing, how often do we reach for our smart phones just as a distraction or as a way to avoid feeling an uncomfortable moment?    This article reveals the depth of the growing addiction many have for their electronic devices.

Remember to share…someone surely needs to read this today!  🙂

By Orianna Fielding

…The advent of the smartphone changed my life, but not in the way that you might think. It actually took me away from life, because it took over my life.  Suddenly I didn’t need to be in my studio on my laptop to be connected, or to get my emails or to send projects through to clients, as I could do that from anywhere. I was free, no longer desk or studio bound.  I could access information wherever I was. It was a revelation and totally life changing. However, although it was an incredible, life-enhancing tool in many ways, I think I was slow to realize that having access to the world in the palm of my hand also means the world had access to me.  As my euphoria at being able to be connected anywhere and at any time began to wear off, it was replaced by the debilitating dependence of needing to be connected anywhere and everywhere, at all times.  The more I became digitally connected, ironically I began to feel more and more personally disconnected from my surroundings, as my virtual life was not giving me any real nourishment.

When we created the smartphone it was designed to be a tool, albeit a very useful tool, but I was using it for everything it wasn’t designed to do:

Distraction
Taking me away from awkward situations
Making me feel busy
Make me feel important
Not making me feel alone
Anything in fact to avoid spending time with myself

I took a hard look at myself and found that, despite living in an exquisite natural landscape, I was actually living a digitally reductive, hands-free, edited life, where nothing was messy, chaotic, or emotive…

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